Lament of the Midian Gods
by TheRangerBoy
Summary: Across Earthland, there are many countries, cultures, creatures, and peoples. One man born in Midi, a country south of Fiore, ventures into Fiore to escape his past in X777. After 10 years of working, he prepares to head home and face his fears... only after one last job.
1. Bounty Hunter

BountyHunter

It was a horrendous day at the Fairy Tail Guildhall. After the return of Team Natsu from Galuna Island, the guild they returned to was in shambles. The two floored building was completely demolished. It was a depressing sight to the inhabitants of Magnolia. Faces were grim and an air of distress swept the streets. A fog had rolled in further adding to the dreary atmosphere.

Phantom had attacked.

Fairy Tail's Guild Master was passive about the attack and as such didn't react to it's significance. So the day went on.

* * *

A lone figure entered Magnolia on Main Street. It was a common occurrence so most left little credence to the figure's importance. What most onlookers failed to notice was _who_ this man was... or rather his profession. It wasn't obvious from his attire, one could easily mix his long ocean blue ankle-coat, large brimmed hat, simple appearing sword and even the large supplies bag for that of a simple traveling merchant. No, this man was more. If one were to examine him more closely, they would notice the small red lacrima that hung from his hat... or the dual-chromatic pendent hanging from his neck. It's black and white ever changing swirls seemed to be at odds, yet peaceful in every regard.

Simply put, this man was more than a Merchant.

He was a bounty hunter- A relatively well known one in fact. He was not known by his name, but his achievements. Taking on Mages with no known magic to speak of was an impressive feat alone, but capture several high ranking members of the Baram Alliance, and you get put on a radar. His mission today... was to capture and detain a Miss Heartfilia.

Jose had paid him generously for his services by proxy. Mr. Redfox was a tricky person to deal with, but it left both parties the better in the end. This Bounty Hunter, known as Seige to very few was on the hunt.

Seige kept his head down, obscuring his face. It would do well that few recognized him. As Miss Heartfilia was a Fairy Tail member, Seige figured it would be difficult to bring her to Phantom once he got her. The more he could remain anonymous, the better. Now... how to approach?

Given the target's higher birth, it would be reasonable to assume that they would be used to kidnappers and the such. He could not really stalk as the others were likely to pick up on his presence and prevent capture.

This one was a pickle to say the least.

Seige entered the local bar. It was usually his first act when scouting out a public figure. The Heartfilia girl was bound to be a talk amongst the men of Magnolia. The bonus was that the info was free and it wasn't hard to pick up a quick drink for some more info. Since getting drunk at a bar was a common occurrence, it would make covering his tracks a sinch.

"Ya know, with Phantom attacking... I'm thinking about moving."

"S'at so? Never would've 'figured you one to ru'un." A conversation began

Seige picked up on this and lowered his head into his drink.

"Yeah, word is they're not as strong as they used to be. Letting in any pretty face with big tits that asks."

"Like that Erza chick?"

"Nah, she's terrifying. Same with that she-devil. I'm talking about the blonde one... Oh what was her name?"

"Levy?"

"Nah, that's the bluenette without the tits. Dunno how she's gonna get a guy..."

"Damn... was it Luigi? Something with an L."

"Nah Dumbass! That's a guy's name. I think I remember anyways."

"Lucy?"

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking. They say she dun' even reach B class."

"Damn... that's all it takes to get into Fairy Tail?"

Seige had heard enough.

From what he could tell, security was lax at Fairy Tail. He had his method of attack, now all he had to do was implement it. He exited the warm bar into the frigid foggy air. It bit into his skin and with a hiss, he flicked the lacrima hanging from his hat. His skin warmed and the cold was fended off. The sensation of warmth brought a sliver of smile to his face. This was going to be an easy hunt.

Hopefully he would not remain in Fiore long though... it was too cold for his liking. The homeland would be better suited for his preferences anyway.

Seige headed along Main with his backpack in tow. Time to capture himself a noble of sorts.

* * *

The basement level of Fairy Tail was booming as usual, though in a different sense. If one were to examine the whole group as a whole, they would see a jolly guild. Looking closely at each member though told a different story. Sure, there were smiles, drinking, laughing and brawling... but something was missing from each individual. They acted less as individuals and more as a cohesive hive. It was as if they were all wearing masks, the same ones.

Seige looked over the group as he entered. While he noticed their jovial attitude, he did not pick up on each's subtlety. So, the underlying somber tone was lost on him. He walked towards the front bar casually plopping in a stool as if he was a esteemed guest. He set his bag down carefully but with a commonality that told the few that noticed him of his frequency in doing such.

Just as he wanted.

He lifted his hat off and placed it on his bag. Immediately the warmth of the Lacrima left him and he felt a small chill. It was nothing he couldn't deal with, but it was annoying to say the least.

"Ay, Sweet Cheeks. Could I get a whiskey on the rocks?" He called out to the platinum haired woman running the bar in his homeland's accent

The woman turned from cleaning the glassware and met him with a notepad.

"Sure, Is there anything else you'd like?" She asked sweetly, almost as if she was okay with the name

"Yah, I'll take a Meedum Ribeye with some onioons suiteed on top." Came the accent again

"Coming right up! That'll be 2,500 Jewel."

Seige handed over the money as he looked around for the girl. Considering this job would get him a good 800k Jewel... he was good with the more expensive meals. Seige stretched out his senses as far as they could go. He sensed mostly men. Quick to tally them off of his search, he narrowed it down to women. He was mostly left with four strong signatures. A blonde, a redhead, a brunette, and a bluenette.

Considering that the picture of her mother he was given. Not something he envisioned not being that useful, but heck it could help. He recalled the figure in the picture, using his strong memory to isolate it to the blonde. He turned back around and locked his senses to her signature. Apparently the girl didn't even dye her hair a different color. Seige sighed as a grin swept his face. She was an ameture. This would be too easy... if not for the guild.

"Hey, who's that guy?!" A loud and frankly young voice called out

"Are you really that dumb that you didn't notice that the bar ain't just for Guild members? We get random people here from time to time idiot." a more calm one stated

"You wanna go Ice Pick?!" The voice from before asked again

"Nah, your breath stinks too bad for that. I wouldn't be surprised if I caught something."

Seige turned around just in time to see a Teen with dark blueish black hair get sent flying at him. Should he stop the kid? No. That'd break his cover. Taking the hit isn't an option. A normal person would be straight up lights out from that. If he came out on top conscious, he'd stand out immediately. He had to dodge, and make it look accidental. With his apparent time slowed by training and reflexes, he was easily able to fake a sloppy dodge. He slid to the side and fell out of his chair. Letting his momentum take him, he quickly grabbed the counter last second as a save. Overall... good acting.

Seige slipped the mask of confusion, shock and a slight bit of fear over his face and body. He internally grinned. He was filling the role perfectly.

"WOAH, SHIT!" He exclaimed in accent, further adding to the act

He slipped to the floor as he saw the teen, now getting a back massage with splinters, get up and shrug it off as if he was pushed into a huge sof pillow. These Mages were surprisingly tough.

"Are you okay?" The platinum haired bar maiden from earlier offered him a hand, "Sorry for the trouble, Gray and Natsu get rowdy quite easily." She smiled at him

Seige mocked nervousness before replying, "Is' No problmm'. Jus glad I didn' take the hit. Thada probly knocked me inta next Tuesday."

"That's true. Don't worry about them. Erza will stop them next time... or she's not getting any cake now is she?" The woman said to the redhead

Seige watched as the Scarlet Knight sweat bullets.

"Alrighty thn'." Seige said hesitantly

"I've never heard that accent before." the Maiden stated questioningly as she helped him up to another stool and grabbed a plate for him

"Yah, I'm not from up 'ere. I'm from down south. Too cold up here in Fee-ore. Thinking about visitn' ma naunie. I got the money." He lied

"Is that so?" She asked curiously as she placed the best steak Seige had ever seen in front of him

"Yup, Ain't seen 'er in a few. Just gotta complete this last route and I'm Gol'en."

"Amazing! I hope you finish your route soon!" She said cheerily before a mug flew and hit her in the head

" 'er you ok?"

"I'm fine. I just have to get to some rowdy customers!" She answered completely innocently... sounding almost excited

Everything in Seige's body told him that she was _too_ excited.

Doing the smart thing, he finished the steak, much to his dismay, and headed out. The cries he heard upon his exit would haunt him for years. Back to his job, he waited on the rooftops for sunset. Most guilds closed at that time and Fairy Tail was no exception. Once it hit, people flooded out of the broken and iron filled hall with a drunk feverity that Seige had never seen before. He continues to watch for the Blonde as the sun continued down the horizon with an amber farewell.

After a few minutes, the blonde left. She was accompanied by a pink haired mage. Odd. It wasn't a common hairstyle in Fiore. It was more traditional of Alverez. The magical energy he was sensing from the mage was astonishing to say the least. He could see a wast sea of untapped potential. It seemed as if it was blocked by design...

"Not the time to question him. I'm on a job." Seige told himself

Seige followed them along the rooftops until both stopped at what he assumed was the girl's apartment. It was a quaint place that showed off that Miss Heartfilia had fantastic taste in decor. It was a slight bit of a shock to Seige that the girl apparently wasn't an idiot. Seige saw a golden light shine through the flat which interrupted his thought. He shrugged it off. He couldn't sense much magical power from her at all. Considering he could handle himself against the likes of S-Class mages... Seige figured he'd be fine.

Once the boy was a few miles away, Seige made his move. He dropped down deftly into the streets. Remanent fog from earlier in the day scattered at his landing producing an ever so slight whoosh an area to clear at his feet. He reached behind himself and pulled a simple pair of bracelets that glowed with a fierce passion. A dual chromatic energy flowed through them. It was magical in origin, but for the purposes of the job, they were just magical suppression cuffs. They weren't ordinary ones either. Instead of blocking the flow of magic like most, which was easily countered by S-Class Mage's power, they let the user use their magic. Now, to most that sounds very contradictory. Magic suppression cuffs that let you use magic? Dumb idea right? It only looks like such until you take into account exactly spells are cast. The mage absorbs Ether, then releases it. Simple? That draws one question though...

What makes the magic in the air different than the magic a mage releases? Its binding. So, if you take the binding away, the magic resumes its neutral state. That's what the cuffs do. This results in a slight gust of wind as the magic equalizes with that of the room or open air.

Seige shook his head and glanced around. Shit. He'd been sitting in the middle of the street with cuffs in his hand for what he guessed to be a few minutes. He really needed to work on his habit of zoning out.

He entered the flat with ease, finding the door unlocked. Wow, this wou- A pair pair of white hands reached around him and left him in a bearhug like no other. It squeezed him as he felt his ribs crack.

"Thanks Taurus. Could you lock him with those cuffs?" he heard his ever blackening vision

He was released only to be met with his cuffs on his wrists... it didn't really do much other than restrain him. When his vision cleared, he saw his target. She had an overall soft ovular face that shown with obvious care. Her chocolate brown eyes stared at him intensely as if she knew every detail of his past. It frankly disturbed him.

"Could you er... stop staring at me?" Seige asked politely

"Oh, sorr-" She started turning around with embarrassment before spinning around quickly, "Wait, no! Why am I apologizing?! You broke into my house... WITH HANDCUFFS!"

She slapped him.

Ow. That actually hurt a bit.

"Yeah... isn't that what bounty hunters do?" Seige tried to defend with the hulking cowman next to him

"You're a bounty hunter? Seriously. Really?" She asked head tilting down in preparation for a scoff, "You're a terrible one if so! You think it isn't obvious when you see 'merchant' from earlier on the skyline watching you?"

"How di-"

"I was with Natsu. If you did your research, you'd know that Dragonslayers have enhanced senses!," She pinched her nose in frustration, "You are stupid." she stressed

Seige's eyes widened.

"A Dragonslayer?" He whispered

"Yeah, I know they're rare. Got over it. You messed up."

"Can I meet him?" Seige asked in awe

"Why wo- OF COURSE NOT! You tried to capture me."

"I'm sorry OK?! I have to make money some way!"

"THEN JOIN A GUILD!"

"I'm NOT A MAGE!"

"Hey Luce, c-" A voice came from the window

""WHAT?!"" Both screamed at the slayer

"AH SORRY! Illbegoinghaveagooddaywithyourfriend." The teen exited the window as suddenly as he entered

"WAIT, NATSU! I ACTUALLY NE-" She shouted out the window only for the teen to immediately re-entering and head straight for the fridge

"-ed some help with this guy." She finished, each word in a downward spiral

"Cool, you want me to get him out of these cuffs? I mean... you have Taurus... oh... OH... **OH**... Are ya trying to act out one of Erza's books?"

" **NO!** He is a bounty hunter... you remember... the one you pointed out to me earlier?"

"OH! Scaley Guy!"

""Who?"" Both the normal people in the room asked

"You smell like a... Lizard I guess." He pointed to the man in cuffs

"You weren't kidding." The hunter chuckled out with a glance to the blonde

Things settled into a dull quietness for a moment. The only noticeable noises being the rattling of Seige's cuffs and the periodic huffs of the large but surprisingly quiet Cowman.

"So... can I get out of these cuffs?" Seige asked

""No."" The slayer and the Celestial mage answered sharply

"Er... well sorry then?" Seige said with a flush of embarrassment holding his hands up to reveal the cuffs to be absent

It took them a few moments to catch on, and with a resounding clap, Taurus was thrown over the Bounty Hunter's shoulder into the hardwood... miraculously not crashing through the wood that creaked at every motion of the spirit before. With a blinding flash of light which blinded the two, Taurus was sent back to the celestial world. Among their cries, Seige left with a panicking Lucy held over his shoulder cuffs on her wrists. With haste, Seige pulled a quick flip out of her window and making sure to flick his heating lacrima. Warmth spread over the two as things silenced on Seige's escape.

"Why the hell is it so HOT?!" The blonde cried over his shoulder

"Unlike you guys, I don't do too well in the cold."

"It's 80 degrees!"

"Yeah! Rub it in my face! Endotherms..." He said with a passion before mumbling

"You're not Endothermic?"

"No, Unlike you guys I can't shed body heat like it's going out of style. I can thank my mom for that one..."

"Endo-what's-it?" Natsu asked

The bounty hunter tripped mid-sprint and was sent flying. Lucy, in tow was sent flying straight into Natsu's arms... bridal style. Just as there seemed to be a connection, it was lost.

"So... could you try not to get captured and... get out of my arms? Happy wasn't kidding when he said you were heavy..."

"JERK!" Lucy smacked him causing him to drop her

"Oy! Woul' ya'll stop cuttin' off my fr'ckn' haul!?" Seige yelled angrily, slipping into his accent, "Do ya know how hard it is ta be a Bounty Hunter? It's taken be years to get to this point!"

""What?"" Natsu and Lucy asked at once, unable to make out his words let alone their meaning through the heavy accent

Seige took a calm breath before paraphrasing, "Would you STOP taking my target? I'd rather not fight anyone for an extended period."

"OH! You weren't fighting back? That explains how it was so easy to keep up with you!" The Dragonslayer realized before he caught fire, ready to start said fight

Seige's eyes widened as the Slayer threw a flame covered fist knocking him out cold.

* * *

Well, That's chapter one of that. Overall, I wanted to branch in the writing of my OCs. I usually have a Sherlockian Protagonist, but this time I'm going for more of a free-spirited fellow.

So, in accordance with how the Wiki categorizes characters, I will be doing the same, but of course with more detail.

Seige (Last Name Unknown)

Race: Hybrid [Lizardman(Mother)+Unknown(Father)]

Mental State: Unconcious

Sex: Male

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Likes: Warm, wet climates; Honorable Hunting (ie. Pursuing target without committing a crime); Traveling

Dislikes: Cold; Magic;

Unique Attributes: Seige's half Lizardman blood gives him an amazing healing factor and the ability to store ethernano. He can channel his physical stamina to from hardened scales to absorb deflect and even reflect damage. His heritage comes with downsides though. He has little resistance to the cold and as such is VERY weak to ice magic, and aside from Physical increases to Speed, Strength, & Durability... he doesn't use magic as well. His (UNKNOWN) Origin gives Siege a significant resistance to magic, weakening spells on impact similar to a Dragonslayer's scales though this does not apply to the physical aspect of an attack.

Strong vs: Fire Magic, Wind Magic, Mental Manipulation Magic, Lightning Magic.

Weak vs: Ice Magic(VERY), Earth Magic, Sword Magic.

ATK: 2/5 +3 with Atack Set; +2 with (MAX) Scales

DEF: 5/5 +4(MAX) With Scales

SPD: 6/5 -5(MAX) With Scales

INT: 3/5 +1 With Scales

RES: 2/5 +4(MAX) With Scales

STM: 16/5

Spells: N/A

Techniques:

Defensive Set- Hunkers down with MAX ULTRA Scales. While strong, Seige is unable to move but can easily withstand top tier S-Class Mage Attacks. Doing this, he attempts to tire out the enemy and emerge to attack his weakened foe. -1 to STM.

MAX- ULTRA!: Seige takes his most powerful and dense scales and further piles upon them. Seige receives a +4 to Defense and Resistance, but receives -8 to speed. Doing more than sitting is a strain in this set of scales. -3 to STM.

Heat Lacrima: Seige can tap the Lacrima hanging from his hat to relieve environmental cold down to 20 degrees F. Doesn't work against Magic.

Attack set- Using the application of light scales that shatter upon impact, Seige can unleash a fast set of attacks to deal devastating amounts of damage to a foe. This cuts into his stamina quickly though. -5 to STM.

Healing Potion- When taking a massive amount of damage, Seige will often use health potions to quickly heal throughout a battle. This doesn't affect his stamina though, meaning he can quickly tire out if forced to use his scales in high frequency.

Now, That probably means jack shit for you. I added stuff that ya don't really have reference to. So, I will be doing Natsu as well.

Natsu Dragneel

Race: Etherious [ Human(Mother)+Human(Father)]

Mental State: Disappointed

Sex: Male

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Likes: Fighting, Fun, Nakama, Fairy Tail

Dislikes: Traveling, Threats to friends and family, Zeref, Gray

ATK: 5/5

DEF: 3/5

SPD: 4/5

INT: 2/5

RES: 5/5

STM: 3/5 +5 from Dragon Slayer Magic

Unique Attributes: As a Dragonslayer, Natsu is afforded a huge healing factor. This can heal cuts and moderate wounds in a matter of hours, and Broken bones in just a few days. He is also able to Eat Fire. This gives him 80% of the magic in said fire spell. Natsu has enhanced senses and a massive pool of magic due to being a Dragonslayer.

Spells: (Copied from the Wiki because Natsu has like 47 million spells)

Fire Dragon's Roar (火竜の咆哮 Karyū no Hōkō): Natsu's signature Dragon's Roar in which he quickly gathers and releases a large quantity of flames from his mouth at his target. In X792, Natsu's mastery over this spell allows him to create a continuous stream of flames that appears as a wall of fire across a field.

Fire Dragon's Claw (火竜の鉤爪 Karyū no Kagizume): Natsu ignites his feet in flames, thereby increasing the power of his kicks. The flames can also be used for jet-propulsion purposes.

Fire Dragon's Iron Fist (火竜の鉄拳 Karyū no Tekken): Natsu engulfs his fists in flames and punches the target. While he was wearing a cat mask, Natsu renamed this ability Cat Fire (猫ファイアー Neko Faiā).

Fire Dragon's Wing Attack (火竜の翼撃 Karyū no Yokugeki): Natsu rushes towards his target and grabs them, before subsequently setting hands ablaze, sending them flying.

Fire Dragon's Sword Horn (火竜の剣角 Karyū no Kenkaku): Natsu lights his entire body ablaze and headbutts the target at a high speed.

Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame (火竜の煌炎 Karyū no Kōen): Natsu ignites both his hands in flames and then brings them together, creating a fiery explosion. In the anime, rather than generating an explosion, Natsu creates a large fireball to throw at his enemies.

Fire Dragon's Flame Elbow (火竜の炎肘 Karyū no Enchū): Natsu creates a stream of fire from his elbow, propelling him forward and increasing the strength of his punches.

Fire Dragon's Crushing Fang (火竜の砕牙 Karyū no Saiga): With his hand lit ablaze, Natsu swipes at the target in a claw-like fashion, burning them.

Fire Dragon's Grip Strike (火竜の握撃 Karyū no Akugeki): Grabbing his enemy and supporting his arm with his other, Natsu blasts the foe at point blank range.

Fire Dragon's Roasting Bath (火竜の湯沸かし Karyū no Yuwakashi): Natsu engulfs his entire body in flames to heat up the surrounding area. This is powerful enough to make water reach scalding temperatures.

Techniques:

Lightning+Fire Dragon Slayer mode- Enhances Power and Speed by astronomical amounts. -8 STM +3 ATK +3 DEF +5 SPD

Dragon Force- Natsu takes the power of a Dragon, can only be awoken under extreme circumstance. -9 STM +10 ATK +10 DEF +20 SPD

Fire Dragon King Mode (From Igneel)- Super Charges All abilities to those of Igneel's -10 STM +20 ATK +20 DEF +30 SPD

Fire Dragon King Mode (From Natsu)- Super Charges all abilities, but is greatly diminished from that of Igneel's. -9 STM +12 ATK +12 DEF +20 SPD

Eat Fire- Natsu eats fire. Cannot be done to God Slaying Fire unless Magic Container is emptied. Natsu Gains 80% of the energy from the flames as magic and the remaining 20% feeds him, limiting the amount he can eat in total to how hungry he is.


	2. Unwilling Stay of Change

Unwilling Stay of Change

Seige awoke to the sound of frying meat. It wasn't the smell he was used to... well, not for a while that is. He was in a bed, something that travel rarely afforded him. The sheets smelled of pine, a distinct smell compared to that of Fiore. He confused himself for a moment. Fiore? He hadn't heard of that before. What was a Fiore? He shook it off. It was probably something from his dream.

He pulled the covers off of himself and to the side of the bed. The smell of pine grew stronger. It seemed perfect. His short height perfectly plopping onto the ground, he stumbled to the door. He was still groggy from waking up. He opened the door, and colors seemed to shift. Instead of the calm orange light that filtered through the windows, the lights shifted purple. He was suddenly entering the kitchen. He had no clue why. He couldn't smell anything.

He looked up from his groggy state, rubbing his eyes from the blurry blobs he was suddenly seeing. He wasn't in pajamas but dirty clothes... Yeah... he was playing outside... that was it. He finally cleared his sight to see his mother, a Lizardwoman along with a man. The man had black hair... it was long, and perfect in its composition. It posed a striking dichotomy to his mother's crimson. His mother's tail whipped side to side showing her agitation with the man. They argued a bit, but that blurred for Seige. He only caught one thing.

"-so you finally bore him? I'm glad to see that things are going so well. I hope we can still go through with the deal?" The man said smoothly but with a slight echo that signed a sense of authority beyond any Seige had ever seen

"Yes, he's doing amazingly. I just hope to raise him a bit further." She requested nervously

"I see..." The man said standing before turning to Seige, "Ah, this must be him..."

The man picked up the confused Seige and tapped over the boy's heart. He put the boy down before staring at his mother.

"You have Five years. After that, I _will_ claim you both. I rule over your fate... and do remember that."

In a wisp of black magic, the man disappeared. His mother fell and burst into tears.

Seige had no clue what happened, so he comforted his mother.

* * *

Seige awoke from the dreamed memory. He frowned as he tore the bandages that covered his head. That was a weird dream... he rarely dreamed of his mother and father... and it left an odd taste in his mouth. Last he remembered was getting hit by that Natsu guy.

Tough Customer...

Now, where is he?

It was wooden and frankly rather comforting looking, but he'd been fooled by a comfy bed before. It had taken _several_ potions to recover from that one. He involuntarily shuddered. Not the time to think about that. Seige heard a few voices arriving at the door and ran for the window. He made it about three inches from it before he was caught by a massive hand.

"So, you must be the bounty hunter I heard about." The old man behind the hand said calmly

"Are you gonna let me go? I'm kinda trying to make my daring escape. I'd rather not resort to violence."

"Good. Neither would I." The man said, flashing a good portion of his power to Seige

Seige's eyes widened. He examined the man to finally notice the Wizard Saint's emblem embroidered onto his jacket.

"You're a Wizard Saint." Seige said in disbelief

The man released Seige.

"You haven't run yet."

"I wouldn't get thirty feet before I was dead."

"I wouldn't kill you. Unlike some of the other Saints, I am not quite the fighter anymore... now I teach the next generation." The man stated

"You're the Fairy Tail Guild Master. Makarov."

"That I am. What will you do with that information?"

"I can't run. Sure as hell can't hide." Seige pointed out

"You could join Fairy Tail." Makarov offered

"I don't use magic." Seige stated blankly

"You have Ethernano in your body. I can sense it. I know of your heritage. Porlyusica recognized your 'unique' situation instantly. Your race can use magic. Only one type, but one nonetheless."

"I'm not a mage. I _don't_ use magic." Seige insisted with fire

He was not going to use anything of the sort with _magic_.

"Regardless... with your skill, strength, and pedigree... I'd like to say you'd easily fit the strength of an A-Class mage."

"I'm not joining." Seige said firmly

"Oh? I better run you off to the Council then... you were committing a crime after all, but the paperwork! I guess I can manage if I put such a serious criminal behind bars." Makarov acted out poorly, turning to the door

"Fine." Seige growled out

"I'm sorry?" The Master smirked

"I join your stupid _mages_ guild."

"Good. Let's get you a mark then..." Makarov smiled out in victory

Seige grit his teeth. Makarov was right. Seige was at that man's mercy whether he wanted it or not. He shook his head. Now wasn't the time to dwell on the negative. It was time for him to plan. Phantom Lord was coming. He didn't know when... but he knew they wouldn't stand until they destroyed Fairy Tail.

Just which side should he choose? Fairy Tail or Phantom Lord?

* * *

Seige looked at his green guild mark with distaste. He was tolerant of the lacrima on his hat, and now he had magically bound to his arm permanently. Makarov had insisted that he receive it, and to Seige's surprise, he noticed a nearly imperceivable jump to his magical power. There was more to the mark than appeared. It was strange. What source of power could it be? It turned out to not be the most pertinent question to ask, so he filed it away for later. He sat in the infirmary, bones long healed. It didn't take that long for him after all. Back to Phantom Lord, he wondered.

"Why does Phantom want Lucy? Why, specifically, was I hired?" he mused to himself

They were important questions and ones without answers. He had no way of asking why Phantom wanted her due to his new membership to Fairy Tail. He would be liable to be dragged back and imprisoned if he renounced the guild, so he was in a bind. How would he possibly answer those questions?

"Maybe I should ask Lucy?" He suggested to himself

That might work, but he doubted his relations to her were the best. It was worth a try though. He got up from the infirmary bed and headed down through the destroyed guild hall. It was surprising just how intact the infirmary actually was considering the state of the first floor. By some miracle, the Infirmary and its supports were left untouched... almost as if done on purpose. He'd have to look into that if Phantom came down on top.

Seige entered the ragged basement floor of the guild to notice the same cheer as before was present. Something felt off though. He finally noticed the artificiality of it. It was a surprise, to say the least. How had he not noticed this before? He shook his head and put the next of his many piling questions in storage for later. He glanced around the hall for the blonde. Her notably shining hair was instantly picked up on. He approached her before a slow twinge spread through his spine. He recognized it as nervousness. Well... this was going to be an issue.

"Lucy?" He called out in question, causing the celestial mage to turn at her name

"Oh. It's you." She said plainly and with obvious distaste

"I'd like to ask you a few things. This may help you too." He stated, hoping that she would give him the chance

"How?" She raised an eyebrow, appearing to humor him after a few moments of consideration

"Well, I was hired by Phantom Lord and out of all the people they would want me to bring in... they chose you. I was wondering why because it could help prevent that happening again."

"Well... Celestial Mages are pretty rare... aren't they?" She tried

"Not as rare as Dragonslayers." Seige shot down

"I don't know then I guess." She said defensively

It had to be something, but he couldn't remember what. He briefly thought for a moment before having an epiphany. He pulled out the picture he was given as reference. This should provide some clues.

"Would this help?" Seige asked, holding up the Lacrama Photo from earlier

Seige immediately noticed a myriad of emotions flash across the blonde's face. First was confusion, then sadness, then anger, then disbelief, and finally realization.

"Father. You wouldn't." She mumbled to herself firmly

"Your Father?" Seige inquired

"Just ignore that. I'd rather not get into that, but if this is a threat to Fairy Tail..." She said, connecting Phantom to something that Seige honestly make out, "I have to tell Master."

Before Seige could do anything, the blonde had run off. Maybe she wasn't as incompetent as he thought? He quickly checked his waist for the sword he always carried. He smiled as he found it there. At least Makarov hadn't taken his sword earlier. He doubted that Phantom would understand his circumstance when they did eventually attack Fairy Tail, and by proxy him. His only chance was to side with Fairy Tail. He sighed.

"Damned mages." Siege mumbled out

"Ay! Scaley guy!" The flame-haired Dragonslayer called out

"Huh?" Seige lifted his head to look at the slayer

"I heard you are part of the guild now. Let's fight! I want to see how powerful you are!"

"I'd rather no-" Seige tried as he dodged a flame covered fist, "Not falling to that again." he reminded himself

The slayer was carried into the wall by his momentum. Wood splintered on his entrance and spewed out upon his exit. It was odd to see as Seige had always idolized Dragonslayers to some degree. They were his superhero. With his mother being a Lizard Woman, Seige had always seen dragons at the top of the food chain... the apex predator of sorts. For a lowly human to challenge a dragon and win? That was the ultimate underdog story. He smiled as he dodged another fist by a few inches.

"Will you hold still or hit me back?!" Natsu cried in frustration

"Alright then..." Seige said slowly

Seige drew his sword and landed several blows. They did minimal damage at best, but it proved his point just fine. The slayer just smiled at the nicks in his skin. Damn... that slayer hide is thick as hell...

Seige switched to a new tactic upon noticing his frank lack of damage. He looked Natsu straight in the eyes and asked a question.

"Wanna see something cool?"

The slayer was confused for a second before cheering Seige on. That was all Seige needed.

"Good."

Scales built quickly on his skin. His heritage taking over and covering his human skin in a several inch thick layer of scales. They and a silver green gleam to them and seemed to sparkle in the warm light of the guild hall. Seige's hat flew off as the scales created a helmet of sorts over his head and spread into a jaw piece. The jaw piece jutted up over his mouth and scales spread under his eyes and over his nose. Siege pulled off his coat and shirt and haphazardly tossed them in an unoccupied chair.

"Try hitting me now." Seige taunted

The slayer did so, well more than excited. It was as if Natsu was fighting another slayer. Of course, that wasn't the case, but he could dream, right? What surprised Natsu was that Seige didn't dodge this time. He didn't even block. Seige just tanked the hit, not even flinching. Natsu was so shocked that he didn't even notice the comparatively slow hand reach for his fist and throw it out. By the time he did, a powerful single blow was sent to Natsu's chest. It echoed with a sonic boom, sending Natsu flying through the hole he created earlier and straight out of the guild hall. Natsu, of course, didn't know this as he was completely off guard when the blow landed. All Natsu knew was that he was traveling several times the speed limit of a magic mobile out of the hall and had no air at all in his lungs.

Surprise was a powerful weapon after all...

After a few minutes, a completely drained Dragonslayer entered through said hole to see a comfortable Seige with a glass of whiskey in his hands.

"Scaley! What was that?!" Natsu asked in awe

"Same thing you have."

"What do ya mean? I- wait... Lucy? Do I have scales? Am I as ugly as him?!" Natsu cried in fear

"HEY!" Seige dropped his glass as Lucy facepalmed

"Natsu. You have Dragonscales because you are a dragonslayer..." She pointed out slowly

"I DO?" Natsu seemed horrified

"They are much stronger than mine at base, but they are clear for now." Seige started, releasing his scales

They both looked moderately spooked at the natural appearance. For the most part, he looked human. That was for sure. Where he differed was the fact that he seemed to have small scales and plates that spread across his vital areas and trailed down the underside of his arm. It wasn't invasive enough to detract from his... not far beyond average appearance, and just enough to stop a weak blade or two.

"These aren't even a fraction the strength of yours." Seige stated gesturing to his stomach while redressing

"Damn... I'm sure glad I don't have to do that to take a hit!" Natsu cheered

Seige smiled at the gesture. He wasn't used to seeing such a positive reaction to his scales. Most scorned him assuming they were magic in nature, so it was a nice relief to see someone had gotten the correct impression.

Maybe his stay wouldn't be as bad as he thought.

* * *

Later that night.

Dusk was settling quite nicely on his second day in Magnolia. He was glad to notice the warmer temperature than last time. It was strange. It was as if his Lacrama was constantly on. Strange. Seige shrugged it off though. No need to look a gift horse in the mouth after all.

Currently, Seige was walking through the Magnolia streets. In his time here, the people had brightened up significantly. It was strange, to say the least. He, in all his travels, has never seen such a prosperous town. It was as if Fairy Tail's positive attitude was running through their veins. He tilted his hat down as a breeze came in on instinct, obscuring his vision for a few seconds as every bit of fabric he wore was sent flapping behind himself. This lasted a few seconds, chilling Seige to the bone. He flicked his lacrama, or at least attempted to before he was ran into. The man, from what Seige could tell, was of average height. His long black hair hung down low to his mid-back and spiked outward wildly. Seige recognized that hair anywhere.

"Gajeel." Seige stated, matter of fact

"If it ain't you lizard boy. Got any bugs to eat?"

"Got any dragons to slay?"

In an instant, the Slayer threw a sharp haymaker that was easily deflected by Seige. Seige smiled with a cocky grin as he grabbed the deflected wrist in an attempt to break it. This was stopped by the clever application of Iron Scales. Seige gave up immediately and landed a devastating palm strike to Gajeel's chest, sending him flying.

No real damage was done, but it did create some distance between the two. They stood still, Gajeel in stance while Seige had his hands in his pockets. Both stared off for a moment before Seige spoke up.

"Done cooling off?"

"Just warming up." The slayer responded quickly

"You call that a warmup?" Seige taunted

"Well, not everybody can grow scales as thick as yours."

"Jelious?"

"Nah, I prefer mine being made out of iron."

"So we're cool?"

"Sad to say, but I'm not here ta be nice, and either way I've got a bone to pick with your ass." Gajeel not so subtly hinted

"Ah, so you're supposed to provoke Fairy Tail?" Seige figured

"Yeah, so? You ain't siding with those Fairies, are ya? I have a bone to pick with ya after all..."

"Caught red-handed..."Seige said with a sigh, holding his hands up

"Oh, Jose never said who I had to rough out. I think I'm gonna go with you..." The slayer grinned out

"You can try." Seige said with a smile before taking off his coat and hat, leaving his blade at his belt

Scales grew on his arms and covered his body with an assortment of greens. They covered everything in a thick hide that even a Dragonslayer would have trouble breaking. He smiled at the transformation, as it brought him closer to his mother... and farther from his father.

"You got thicker scales." Gajeel stated blandly

"You don't have any scales. Never could master a full set could you?" Seige stated

Gajeel bent down and tensed his muscles. While initially looking down at his feet, he looked up with a cocky grin. Scales of a different nature covered Gajeel. These ones not made from his body, but of his magic. Seige gasped as he took a step back. This wasn't going to be so easy.

"You ain't the the only one with full body scales now lizard boy."

"And we used to be friends..." Seige said dryly before preparing for combat

Gajeel took the initiative and dashed forward, much faster than Seige. Seige barely had time to counter and deflect Gajeel's blows. A left, a right, a palm strike, in that order Seige dodged. It wasn't easy, but he did. Mid-dodge, Seige released his scales and quickly regained his speed. Now, it was easy to dodge Gajeel's attacks, but if they hit he was screwed. As if on cue, a blow clipped his shoulder. It hurt and felt as if a train had hit it, but was functional-For how long he didn't know. Seige focused on dodging until he could throw Gajeel, which he did. It did no damage of course, but it gave Seige a break. He sighed. There was no way to win this one. His sword would be shattered against Gajeel's scales. It was infuriating. Gajeel got up and with a grin and torn up clothes.

"I didn't even feel that." The slayer taunted, "Oh, weren't you going on about how good your scales were?"

"Well, you know I'm weak to dragon slaying magic." Seige stated, "Being technically cousin species with them and all..."

"So, you still think you are stronger than me?"

"I've been holding back." Seige grinned out

"Now, that's bullshit." Gajeel argued back

They stood at an impasse for a few moments before they were interrupted by a petite voice

"Seige is that you?" A blue-haired girl called out from down the street

 _No…_

 _Not right now!_

 _I can't use that method if I have to focus on saving the girl too. If she doesn't get out of the way fast enough, I may be forced to result to_ that _..._

"RUN! GET MAKAROV!" Seige yelled at the now frightened girl

Gajeel took a step forward, ready to end the girl. Seige's anger rose to impossible levels. This is how far he'd fallen. Resorting to killing innocents? Seige dashed faster than the slayer and grabbed his arm, incantation wisping on his cold breath.

The very air responded to his chant.

* * *

A/N

So, this is Chapter 2.

Ah... I wish I wasn't going to do this _so_ soon, but eh. I'm going to make sure that I don't really go into detail on stuff like this for now because I want to mostly keep his secret.


	3. Forbidden Words, and New Perspectives

Forbidden Words

Seige hissed deeply, glancing down at the hole in his stomach. It wouldn't be potentially fatal for another half hour if he guessed right. That wasn't why he hissed though. That bastard got away. He had played dead when Seige had started really bringing it down on him. Just as Seige had gotten close the _**bitch**_ shoved a 4-inch diameter piece of Dragonslayer Iron through his stomach and pinned him to the wall.

Ignoring the homosexual pretext to that, Seige grabbed the rod firmly and retched it out with a minor grunt of pain. It was always a symptom of using _that_. He hardly felt pain. Pain is what kept him further away from his father. It is what separates him from that psychopath. He quickly watched as his anger affected the Dragon Iron he was holding. It began to rust and decay. A gust of wind blew the remnant rust away.

"Seige! Are you alright?!" He heard the voice of Makarov

Seige quickly dispelled his transformation before Makarov got close enough to notice. He looked up and wordlessly grabbed his discarded clothing. This was becoming a trend, wasn't it? He mentally chuckled.

"Phantom has decided that they don't like Fairy Tail to be idle." Seige stated to Makarov, "What do you plan to do about that?"

The Master looked conflicted for the first time since Seige had met him. Was it something more than magic that bound these people? Seige didn't know, but he should look into that later. He waited quietly for an answer while looking at the newly risen sun. Damn... he and Gajeel really went at it. If so, why did it take so long for Makarov to get here?

"I should have been here sooner. I have attempted to keep my children from the woes of the world as best I can, but I now see Phantom will not allow that. While you have not been a member long, you are still one nonetheless. I have dragged you into something that has little to do with you." Makarov admitted

"I'll heal." Seige said firmly, "The problem is what would have happened if I hadn't been here. Gajeel would have probably taken out Levy and whoever she was with."

"Team ShadowGear." Makarov mumbled to himself quietly, "We can't let this continue."

"I agree." Seige said turning away from the sunset, "So, what are you going to do?"

"Follow me." The Master stated calmly

Seige wordlessly grabbed his hat which had been knocked off of his head over the course of the fight. If there was anything he could relate to, it was having that kind of pressure on you. He respected that. Seige followed the short man.

"You know, I'm finding it harder and harder to fault your guild and the magic that binds you."

"Is that so?" Makarov chuckled out

"What's so funny?"

"The only Magic that binds us is the Magic of family." Makarov states with a nostalgic smile

"You expect me to believe that bullshit? I can clearly feel that this guild mark does more than sign me as a member of Fairy Tail."

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"It feeds its members magic, and I can _sense_ it. It feels foreign."

Makarov turned to him in shock.

"So you _do_ know what's going on." Seige said, tone hard

"You shouldn't be able to feel that. You carry secrets too."

"Give me a hint, and I'll give one in return." Seige said neutrally

"... It is to prepare them for the future. A battle is coming, and they will not be prepared otherwise."

"I see. Fair enough. I won't as further. Here's my hint to you. While I may be half lizardman... my other half isn't human nor is it any reptilian kin."

"I see."

"So, what is it that you wanted to show me?" Seige asked as they neared the Guild hall

"I never did give you the spiel did I?"

Seige raised one of his thick eyebrows to the old man.

"Do fairies really have tails? Do they even exist? Like them, this place is eternal mystery... A never ending adventure." The Master stated with a smile

"That's what you wanted to show me?" Seige scoffed out

"Yes and no. This _is_ all I have to physically show, but I hope that if you examine those words... you'll come to the true meaning of Fairy Tail. The thing that binds us and gives us that magic. It is the reason we're number one after all..." The man said looking up at Seige, "I can tell you have taken a cynical view of the world. You obviously have reasons for doing so, but my only goal for you is to see you release that shell and truly shine. That way, you can embark on the adventure that makes Fairy Tail so great."

Seige's eyes widened from their unusually slim appearance. That's why this guild was different. Magic was just a small part of what bound them. He had been lucky enough to be stuck in the only mages guild that didn't care about Magic. He smiled at that. Hell, he broke into a weak, teary laugh.

"I get you old man. Lucky me I guess?"

"Indeed you are."

"You know what I think we should do?"

"Oh, providing input now?"

"Well, I want to keep my new home in the best condition possible."

"What's your suggestion then child?" Makarov grinned ear to ear

"We take the fight to Phantom. We kick them so hard they go crying to the Council, and when they do... we bust them on this." Seige gestured to himself

"Already thinking like a Fairy." Makarov said patting Seige on the back with the aid of his Titan Magic

Seige silently, but awkwardly agreed. He was still uncomfortable with the idea of magic being so close to him... but he figured that it wasn't that bad. He could grow to tolerate magic... at least in others.

* * *

Seige sighed as he leaned back in his chair. The guild was doing fine he guessed. After the Master announced what happened, most of the members were heavily in favor of the suggestion on how to deal with it. Namely... destroy Phantom. Such a shocker there. Seige knew they were a rambunctious guild, but he never pegged them to be so friendly. It was strange and unfamiliar to say the least.

Seige tilted his hat down, shutting his eyes to the glow of the candles that lit the basement of Fairy Tail. The hall was going to be open the whole night to ensure they stuck together and an incident like with Gajeel didn't happen on the eve of battle, so he figured he'd get some shuteye. He nodded off as the rest of the guild discussed the plan. Even Natsu was getting in on it not that he helped much though.

"You got any ideas Seige? You were hired by them, do you know the layout of their guild hall?" Seige heard Levy's voice

"Naw, I didn't see the hall. They sent a proxy. I do know a bit about their members through. Their magic's and the such. Know your employer as the saying goes..." He mumbled out

"Anything about the Element 4?" Lucy asked from behind the bluenette

"Totomaru, Juvia, Aria, and Sol. Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth. They are in tune with their elements to such a degree that it almost puts Natsu to shame." Seige started, "Totomaru can control any type of fire, and I mean any. Don't let Natsu face off against that guy he'll be worn down quickly."

"HEY!" Natsu yelled out, insulted at the thought he couldn't beat a fire mage

"Juvia, also known as the 'Rain Woman,' she is a master of water. Hell, she's made of it. Don't let her near any shore, and you should be fine. If you get her near any water source... _run_. Also to note, she's probably crazy. Do with that what you will."

"Definitely not going near that..." Gray spoke up, nervously

"Aria... now that's a duesy. He can control wind magic, but has a subset of it available to him. A much more deadly variety."

"Aerospace Magic?" Makarov inputted

"The same," Seige answered, "Aria can suck the magical energy from a target. The effects worsen the stronger of a mage you are." he sent a pointed look at Makarov

"I'm not that old. I can handle some measly punk." Makarov stated defensively

"Aerospace users can also hide their magical signature by altering the air currents around them to prevent their signature from scattering."

"So, he can one hit anyone AND is undetectable." Cana sighed out in between gulps of her... wow that's a large barrel

Seige shook off the shock and returned to task at hand. Seige looked around quickly.

"Does anyone have a pen and paper?" Seige called out after a few moments

Mirajane was quick to supply a set. With that out of the way, he quickly sketched a general portrait of each of the Elemental 4. It was quick and sloppy by his means, but it would be easy to recognize the person if you were to compare them to his sketch. That was all that mattered after all.

"Now that you guys have a visual reference, we can get to Sol." Seige continued quickly

"I didn't know you could draw. You're actually quite good at it." Mira commented

"In my time hunting bounties, criminals tend to enjoy messing up the posters I get for reference. I picked the skill up pretty quickly after the... 8th or 9th lost one?" Seige said questioningly, "I honestly can't remember _when_ I just found it easier than trying to explain it from memory to people."

"Awesome! Can we get to this Sol guy? I want to lock arms in epic combat... LIKE A MAN!" Elfman roared over the mostly mumbling crowd

"Alrighty then... Anyway, Sol is a tricky bugger. He uses a combination of Earth clone magic and diver magic. At least that what I can guess. He probably has more in store though..."

"YEAH!" Elfman roared again

Seige sighed. They didn't realize just how bad this was going to get.

"Don't be celebrating. Phantom isn't going to be a walk in the park. They won't take mercy on you if you're hurt. I fully expect them to target Makarov as he is our leader. Cut the head off of the snake as they call it. Makarov, WATCH for Aria. Besides Jose, he is the only real threat to you. Neglect him and you will fall."

"Gray, you're the ice mage right?" Seige moved his lecture to Gray

"Yeah, so?"

"You need to take one Juvia. Freeze her if you can as she is made of water."

"If you say so."

"Natsu, you need to avoid Totomaru at all costs. He will be able to control the fire you emit. That includes when you ignite yourself."

"Pfft."

"Makarov, you need to hold back."

"Bu-"

"In all honesty, it would be better if I were to fight Aria. Since I don't use magic, my born in container isn't tied to my life. Stealing my magic would do little."

"I see your point." Makarov succeeded after a few seconds

"You should take on Jose though. As the only other Wizard Saint, you have the best chance of defeating him."

Makarov smiled at that.

"The rest of you don't have any discernible weaknesses that would hurt you against the Element 4. Other than your lack of magical power that is..." Seige announced

A few collective "Aw"s echoed through the guild. Seige chuckled at the sight, then handed the drawings to Mira to copy through some magical device that Seige figured they had. From then on though, he rested for the upcoming battle.

* * *

The following day was hectic to say the least. People were scrambling across the guild, gathering things that they thought might help them in the upcoming battle. He surprisingly saw a few members dragging along health potions. Whether they thought it would heal them in a rut or decided to take one before the battle as a preventative measure... he didn't know.

It would be useful either way.

Taking initiative upon the packing, he had gathered his things and made sure he packed extra health potions just in case. He would most likely be facing Gajeel yet again to his complete and utter disdain. While he appreciated the guy as a person... but he had fallen far. It was saddening to say the least.

On other topics more in tune with his interests, he was glad to find that SEVERAL of Phantom's mages were known criminals. Nowhere near as well... _established_ , but he figured he could tear at least a good 450k out of their bounties... subtract 50k in travel... He'd make a good profit of this yet. He, of course didn't need the money due to his rather lucrative abilities at bounty hunting, so that would be a bit of a drop in the bucket but who was complaining?

Money was money.

On the bright side, it wasn't dirty money... or blood money... or-

Seige cut himself off.

He forgot something important.

"Hey, Erza, you are a Re-Quip mage right?" Seige called over from the other side of the guild hall to the busty armored mage

"Yes, that is true. May I inquire why?" The mage asked slightly stiffly in confusion

"I tried to fight Gajeel last time and... let's just say I had to break some of my rules to get by. Would you mind lending me one of your normal swords that could cut... oh... I'd say... Tungsten?"

"Why would you need a sword that could cut through such a tough material?" The Scarlet Knight exclaimed

"Dragon Iron is a bitch. Especially when you have a slight weakness to dragon slayer magic."

"Are his bones made of Dragon Iron?" She asked with an innocent curiosity that honestly made the Bounty Hunter nervous

"N-no... He covers himself in Dragon Iron similar to Natsu with his fire. Though I assume it is for completely opposite reasons though..." Seige stated with a nervous frown

"How so?"

"I'd assume Natsu's flames can burn even if they aren't directly attacking you?"

"Of course."

"I Think Natsu's is a repercussive measure. In other words, hit him, you burn yourself. Gajeel does it to mitigate damage and strengthen his blows."

"I see. That is an interesting theory. I will have to test that out soon." Erza said, grabbing Seige's head and slamming it into her breastplate

The world went white as Seige toppled over for a few moments and crashed through several sets of chairs. After a few seconds, his vision returned, and he used one of the toppled tables to get up. He blinked a few white spots out of his vision as he responded.

"Great... yeah... thanks, Erza..." He said out voice gravely after the impact

* * *

A/N

So, this is mostly development with Seige. I didn't really intend anything to happen in this other than that. If I am correct, y'all should be getting some more action in the future.


	4. Brawls and Reunions

Phantom Lord Vs Fairy Tail

"Brawls and Reunions"

To say that the train personnel were confused would be an understatement. At 8 A.M. sharp, the _entirety_ of the Fairy Tail Guild showed up at the station. No word, or warning. They asked for 63 tickets and began to embark with no trouble at all. It was striking to find that Fairy Tail wasn't demanding, nor rambunctious. They seemed calm. It was like a mass of well-trained children on a field trip. It was beyond out of character in _every_ sense of the word. When they rented out the train cars, yes _entire cars_ , it was even further cause for concern... but nothing happened! Nothing at all! The district office would be screaming in joy if everything turned out fine. They had apparently dodged the mother of all bullets.

Back with Fairy Tail though, there could not be a more different mood. While the group was obviously _very_ excited to take on Phantom in revenge, they were tame in their actions. It seemed that while very... _rambunctious_ , they still could manage some degree of restraint. It was something that he found quite interesting. Maybe there's something behind it? Fairy Tail is known for its... wanton attitude towards those with tragic pasts. Maybe each member had that sense of urgency in time of need due to those hardships? It was a good guess as any.

Once the train ride was over, and Natsu relieved of his crippling motion sickness, they began their march through Oak Town. It was significantly smaller than Magnolia for sure. It also carried a more primitive vibe to it. Part of Seige found it comforting, while the other despised it. Seige shook off the less than pleasant memory of his father's influence on his mentality. He solely desired for that desire of order to be erased from his consciousness, but alas that would never happen. Seige couldn't be that lucky. No, he'd likely deal with that for the remainder of his 200+ year lifespan. Gotta love that slowed aging of his mother.

"We are almost there. Does everyone remember the plan?" Makarov's shrill voice echoed despite the relatively cramped space in between the relatively broken down buildings

Several 'ayes' oxymoronically boomed quietly from the group... how, he had no clue. Fairy Tail is a conundrum in at of itself so he wrote it off. Makarov took this as a sign and walked to the guild doors. He glowed with Light Magic, casting shadows among the further back raid members including Seige. It completely wiped the doors from existence. A fitting end to say the least. Seige tilted his hat down to avoid what little of it would have reached his eyes. Never can be too careful...

"Fairy Tail has arrived to collect its debts!" Makarov roared as the guild piled in and wiped everything in its path

Seige smiled as he drew the sword Erza lent him.

* * *

Gray grinned as he approached a group of fodder mages. So this was their average? He put his hands in his cargo pants which were miraculously still on and spoke to the nervous mages.

"Go on. I won't even use my magic." He pulled out one hand and performed the universal 'come at me' gesture

They all roared as they sprinted at him, all caution thrown to the wind, a big mistake. Gray slammed the first guy's face into the ground before tossing him through his buddies, knocking a good portion of them cold. He flipped one of the 3 or 4 remaining guys over his shoulder and into the floor, cracking the cold stone.

"Water Slicer!" A feminine voice rose through the muffled shouts in the main area of the hall

Gray dodged with an inhuman speed, missing the blades by mere millimeters. He watched in shock as he lost a few hair to the attack.

"THAT COULD HAVE TAKEN MY HEAD!" Grey roared at the woman

"Drip Drip. Juvia will destroy you... as Master Jose commands..."

Grey settled down his anger and shock for a moment, something that he had over flame brain... among other things, to realize that Seige was right. These guys were out to kill them. Gray settled down into his stance, one hand comfortable flat while the other balled into a fist together. Both the fighters held back calmly for a moment before all hell broke loose.

"Ice Make: Grappling Hook!" Gray formed an intricate grappling hook and charged off to the rain woman

Both prepared for a clash, but to Juvia's surprise, Gray did not follow what appeared to be his initial movements. He used Juvia as a springboard, planting his boot firmly between her... erm... _assets_ and pushing off of the blubbering water girl. He used the hook and aimed it for center mass, freezing the girl's chest, and once again messing with her assets. She could not overcome the thought of having another mage's _essence_ so close to her breasts and did not see the boot coming that firmly slammed into her face.

Gray, on the other hand, was sorely confused. Why did she just take the hit? Why was she blushing so furiously? Is he fighting a masochist? At least she's a girl and a good looking one at that...

Gray never wanted to remember the day he had to fight a masochistic guy. An ugly one too. He'd rather deal with ash breath than that guy any day.

Gray shivered.

"Juvia is fighting a pervert." Gray heard come from the woman

"Do you always speak in third person?" Gray asked, sweat dropping

"Juvia has no clue what you are talking about, hot man."

"I'M AN ICE MAGE!"

"Oh, it is meant to be!" The woman fangirled

Gray's eyes widened. This girl was crazy. He reached out with his hook to make a swift escape but was met only with a wall of water that weakened his creation, causing the chain to snap under his weight. Gray dispelled the hook with a frown. This wasn't going to be as easy as he thought...

Juvia rushed towards him maniac grin on her face, hearts in her eyes. Gray did what he did best, he chilled out. The room's temperature dropped to nearly zero as he cast a spell.

"Ice Make: Medieval Set!"

Ice covered him in a thick protective coating looking like a perfect ice replica of medieval armor while a kite shield and morning star, both made of ice formed as well. Gray was just going to have to outsmart her. As if on cue, she crashed against his shield, caution thrown to the wind, and it seemed as if she was melting against it. Gray panicked and jammed the rod of the morning star into the woman's forehead. It didn't work too well to say the least. It simply entered her water body as Seige had mentioned. What made it unpleasant was the comment he received.

"Ah! Yes!"

Grey immediately dispelled the armor and hauled ass to the other end of the room. He seriously didn't want to deal with a girl that moaned every time he hit her. It was creepy as hell. With a quick glance at his inner thoughts, he realized that he had stripped his pants.

...

...

...

For once in his life, Gray felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

* * *

Natsu cracked a grin as he spotted the S-Class mage Totomaru. The red samurai's fluffed collar ruffled in the wind as he stood over the losing battle from Phantom's side. Natsu began his sprint across the hall to meet the mage. Natsu cocked his fist back as flames began to swirl around it.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fis-!" Natsu was cut off by his own fist slamming into his face

"Ah!" Natsu rubbed his cheek as he got back up under the now noticed gaze of Totomaru

"Is that all you've got? I would think that Fairy Tail were smarter than to attack Phantom... I guess not."

"Well, you guys shouldn't have attacked us! You're asking for a beating... one I'm eager to give!" Natsu ground out holding a fist covered in flames up only to be smacked in the face with it again

"We shall see, Fairy."

Totomaru brought his hands to his katana and quickly slashed at the Dragonslayer who barely recovered in time. It missed giving the slayer an opening, which he used to effect with a simple slug to the gut. It left the fire mage relatively unhurt but proved a point. Natsu didn't need fire to kick his ass.

"Forgoing magic? That's a risky maneuver." Totomaru commented

"I don't need it to beat your face in!" Natsu said with a grin before charging the flame mage

Natsu opened with a haymaker, which was immediately caught. Totomaru bent the arm that he caught, bending it with the other hand, then using the opening to land an elbow to the Slayer's face. This failed as Nasu caught the elbow and used his opponent's surprise to land a powerful headbutt. Natsu chained the headbutt into a throw that slammed Totomaru through the floor and several feet into the ground. Natsu lifted his fist to the currently stunned fire mage that crossed his arms in what appeared to be an attempt at a block. What Natsu didn't see coming was the fact that Totomaru released this pose to bring his hands together before opening them to the slayer's face. Point blank.

"Blinding Jet!" Totomaru cast, summoning a massive jet of flames that was a blinding white

Natsu, while unhurt by the flames, held no such resistance against the light produced by said flames. Flames poured out the slayer's mouth as he tried to manage the burning pain in his skull.

Totomaru smirked as he saw his opportunity. With a glance, the flames entered the slayer's mouth yet again. Unlike most flames, Natsu was unable to eat his own flames and as such, began choking. Totomaru rushed forward and dealt a devastating blow to the slayer's chin before dashing forward and landing a massive elbow strike, further disabling the Slayer's ability to breathe.

Black spots edged Natsu's vision as his movements grew fainter. Thoughts and fears flashed through his mind. The most prevailing one being:

"I... I might die?"

* * *

Seige stood tall through the chaos, scales covering his form. These were not by any means his strongest ones nor even the ones he used during combat, but they were merely a reflexive response to the visible chaos. He was hunting. It was in his blood... well half of it anyway. The air shifted around him. This in at of itself would not be an issue, but it was different from the normal currents that followed him through the upper rafters. It was thin and precise. Seige tilted his head to the side, dodging a black, iron blade. It was Dragon Iron.

"It seems my prey has found me?" Seige mused with mild curiosity

"Dragons ain't prey." Gajeel's baritone voice revealed itself behind Seige

"You seem to be under the impression that you are a dragon. While you may hold it's magic, you are incapable of being such. In an ironic sense, you are the exact opposite of what you claim." Seige stated, turning around with narrowed eyes

"What do ya mean? Of course, I ain't going to turn into a dragon! I'm not that much of a dumbass. It was a metaphor!"

"A terrible one at that..." Seige sighed out, drawing his sword

"You not gonna use that form? I'm disappointed. I really wanted to test my metal, not deal with this sissy."

"You will be silent. I only use that form in dire circumstances. I have analyzed our previous fight. I know all your moves. In this state... I'd give you at most three hits..."

"You daring me?" Gajeel laughed out before barely dodging a strike that would have removed his head

Gajeel gasped in shock at the sheer speed of the blow. It was by no means out of his capability to see, but it was far faster than his current capabilities to regularly dodge. Gajeel immediately summoned his scales to prevent anything like that to happen again.

"I told you to be quiet." Seige said simply

"You'll regret every word. You'll regret leaving me on that mission. You'll regret it all. And only when you cry mercy after asking for forgiveness... will I let you die." Gajeel spat out as he charged forward in a murderous frenzy

Wow, that had to be the cheesiest thing he had ever heard out of the man's mouth.

Seige dodged the first fist that was aimed at him- His right cheek specifically. He ducked under the slayer's strike and time seemed to slow as his instincts took over. He felt every muscle in his body prepare as he drew a single fist back. They all worked in unison as he brought a mighty fist forward with a thunderous echo. He felt Gajeel's ribs crack in time with the crack of the wooden rafter they occupied. The steel protecting the slayer buckled under the mighty strike. He watched as Gajeel's eyes widened, pain spread across his face before the Slayer's eyes glazed over.

It wasn't often that Seige preformed said technique, but he needed to down Gajeel quickly. It also seemed that Gajeel had gotten a... false answer to his absence. He would have to clear that up pretty soon before that hate festered further. He raised the boy after Metalicana abandoned him. It was his duty to set him right. Time sped up as Seige carefully watched spit fly out of the boy's mouth.

"Don't you remember Metalicana advice? Don't judge a situation until you have all the information!" Seige lectured

Seige brought his elbow down on the Slayer with a thunderous force. This was a terrible idea to do normally, but Seige knew it was the best option. Normally, he was thousand cuts sort of guy and even had the speed to back it up. If he traded that speed, he could deliver raw power in a strong helping. It tired him out quickly, and doing so against a slayer would be a terrible idea. They were known for their endurance after all...

It was his only option to reconcile with Gajeel. The brick for brains was so stubborn that you often had to beat it out of him. This technique was only meant for one thing after all...

To enforce submission.

With how Gajeel had acted, even thinking about taking the life of an innocent... that was unthinkable...

"What happened to you, Gajeel?" He asked himself looking down at the crater that Gajeel had formed upon impact

"You can stop playing dead. We both know I have the sense to easily tell you are still conscious." Seige shouted down

"Damn... that packed a punch. When'd you learn to hit that hard?" Gajeel asked getting up and dusting the stone and wood shaving off of his shoulders

"You know this style all too well. I have used it on you before." Seige stated

"So, you think I'm still a kid to be punished with _that_ style?"

"When you cease to lack the wisdom to learn from your better, then I will treat you as if you are grown. Simple."

"You really think that? After all the shit you put me through, I would just _listen_?"

"Obviously." Seige said plainly

"I'm going to enjoy sharpening my teeth with your bones!" Gajeel bared his teeth

* * *

Natsu panicked for the first time in his life. Sure, he had 'panicked' when Erza was angry at him, but he wasn't going to be killed by her. No, this was a truer panic than he had ever known. He choked on the flames- _his_ flames. On his last vestige of sanity, Natsu Dragneel came up with an idea. It was so brilliant that it _would_ save him. He just needed to hit himself.

And so, Natsu did. First, he landed a fist to his chin, seeing it do nothing, he hit his chest. With barely conscious glee, he felt the flames push up. He closed his hands in front of his chest into a hammer-fist. With a force that echoed throughout the hall, he slammed his fist into his stomach. It was crude but did the job. He leaned over for a few moments, catching his breath. Damn... he needed to get better with stuff like that...

Maybe Seige had a few tips? He could stand against him without magic after all. He has to know something...

Natsu glared at Totomaru, wiping the spit from his jaw. He had to end this quickly.

* * *

Gray panted as he returned to his previous stance. Juvia was practically immune to his magic, and it was showing. Gray had taken significant damage over their short scuffle. He had several cuts adorning his sides from barely missed Water Slicers, bruises from the numerous times he had been hit with Water Jets, and even a broken pinkie when she had solidified with his hand still in there. The rain woman on the other hand... she was perfectly fine, if a bit flustered. Gray sighed in exhaustion as he noticed her dress didn't even have a wrinkle on it. How could he beat her?

Didn't Seige say that he should be able to freeze her? It was Gray's only chance.

"Ice Make: Freezing Hammer!" He cast a hammer unlike his traditional spell

It was a long shafted hammer with a single spike on either side. It looked crude due to the unique and complex nature of it, but it would do. All he needed was one good strike to end this. Gray brought the hammer to his shoulder and stood tall.

This was his time to shine.

* * *

Makarov looked down at the chaos below. It was indicative of Fairy Tail's nature after all, and being put on display in such a callous manner made him proud. He let his eyes linger for a moment on each member of their elite. First Natsu, was facing off against Totomaru. He grinned at the suicidal slayer. It was like Natsu to go after him anyway. Find the strongest opponent and challenge them was Natsu's motto. His eyes darted to Gray following the plan to a T. He was facing Juvia with a new hammer. Its crudeness gave light to the boy's potential of the mind. Makarov could feel its chill bite at him from over 300ft away, a true accomplishment to say the least. He glanced to Erza, wiping entire squads of Phantom in a single blow... looking hot doing it too.

Makarov tore his eyes away from the scene and continued his way up the hall. He was met with a large set of doors, green and gold in color scheme. It was a crime against fashion, not that Makarov cared. He could leave those judgments to his superiors. He walked forward and with one hand raised, he cast a spell.

"Three Gods Forge: Gusting Wail!" A massively intricate magic circle appeared from his open hand

A large torrent of wind raced around him, his clothes flapped so wildly one would think they might be possessed. Then, the winds began a whistle. It started off soft before reaching a crescending wail. The door, while appearing unfazed at first began to break down. A magical rune set appeared, attempting to block further damage to the door. The S-Class runes crumbled under Makarov's power within seconds. As soon as they were though... the door flew off the hinges and skid across the open cathedral esque area. Several pillars dotted the open room. It would make for an easy ambush.

Apparently, Seige was right.

Makarov kept his senses keen. He had no clue where Aria might strike from... or Jose for that matter. This was going to be tricky.

* * *

Seige kept his breathing steady despite his fatigue. He desperately wanted to suck in air and recover his stamina, but he couldn't. It felt as if he was suffocating, but he just couldn't. He had to show an air of superiority. He had to be Alpha to Gajeel, otherwise, the slayer wouldn't listen to a word he said. Seige stuck his hands in his pockets, ignoring the sword at his hip. To even use that would be seen as a form of submission, to specifically acknowledge Gajeel's power. Luckily, he didn't sweat due to his mother's side. Most Ectotherms were scrambling to find heat, so why would it be an issue to receive a lot of it?

"Damn... when'd you get so strong?" Gajeel spat out with some iron courtesy of Seige shoving his own fist into his face

"You were the one to hit yourself." Seige jabbed casually despite not being in a much better condition

If this kept up for another ten minutes... he was going to lose. Gajeel reacted to his jab by charging up an Iron Dragon's Roar. Seige saw his opportunity. It was all or nothing. He dashed forward, putting everything into his speed. Gajeel's eyes widened as he jumped back. Seige picked up a smooth pebble and slung it at Gajeel's now falling boot. The boot landed on it, and he slipped. With the roar now raised to the roof and not himself, Seige jumped up, slamming into the rafter above them and used all his might. He threw himself off the rafter and straight down to Gajeel. Seige grasped the slayer's head with his hand and slammed him through three rafters and into the ground below. Seige held on and with a roar, collided on the ground with Gajeel. This wiped out several Phantom mages, but with their numbers... it was but a drop in the bucket. When the dust cleared, the slayer was half conscious and regaining the missing functions fast. Gajeel tried to breathe and launch an Iron Dragon's Roar to gain some distance, but found his roar still in his throat. It was the greatest weakness and most humiliating thing for a slayer to experience. It was a show of force, and Gajeel of course resisted. He kicked with the enhancement of his magic at Seige only for his foot to be caught. Seige then starred in Gajeel in the eyes before snapping the weakened iron rod.

To the Iron Dragon Slayer, it was like losing a limb.

* * *

"Three Pillar Gods!" Makarov roared through the silence

Milliseconds later, a beam of pure dark energy hit the surface of the spell, cracking it slightly.

" _ **Jose.**_ " Makarov ground out

"I see you're sharp as ever in your... twilight years..." the shrill nasally voice recited as if straight from a dialogue sheet

"I see you still take notes from those Lacrima Vision movies." Makarov stated with a cringe, completely losing his anger in it with the help of experience

Jose surprisingly stayed calm. Usually, that riled up the guild master, but it seems he had gotten some control over his temper. That would make this fight harder for Makarov.

"Makarov, so what brings a failure of a man to Phantom Lord?"

"You have crossed the line, Jose. We can't be put out children through this. It is our purpose to guide and to build these images into strong men and women, not kill each other off with reckless abandon! Now, what has provoked your attack? While we have had differing views, it has rarely resorted to violence... _especially_ to an extreme that could kill."

"Maybe, I have grown tired of your guild, or could it be something more? I guess you'll have to try and beat it out of me~." The man said with a smile, magical pressure surrounding him

It was then that Makarov sensed something behind him. His eyes widened. He forgot about Aria. Wind roared and began to slow. Makarov slowly turned to see Aria, a tall man with a square face, wrappings over his eyes. Faster than the Master could react, two purple seals appeared on either side of Makarov.

" **Metsu.** "

* * *

A/N

So, I'm just gonna clear up a few differences. I won't spoil the Gajeel and Seige thing though. That's going to be pretty huge in Seige's story, so I'll keep that a mystery.

As for how the first bit of Phantom vs Fairy Tail... I wanted to really push a stark contrast in how each fights. Fairy Tail is a pretty bright Manga and Anime, so when it did go bad... it hit you with dem feels. I wanted to really capitalize on that factor in this. I don't plan for too many wins due to "Nakama" unless it actually makes sense ie Dragonforce. Now, here's for a bit of an update on Seige's skill list.

Seige (Last Name Unknown)

Race: Hybrid [Lizardman(Mother)+Unknown(Father)]

Mental State: Conscious

Sex: Male

Sexuality: Heterosexual

 ***Birthplace: South Midi, Shokei Forest X756**

Likes: Warm, wet climates; Honorable Hunting (ie. Pursuing target without committing a crime); Traveling

Dislikes: Cold; Magic;

Unique Attributes: Seige's half Lizardman blood gives him an amazing healing factor and the ability to store eternano. He can channel his physical stamina to from hardened scales to absorb deflect and even reflect damage. His heritage comes with downsides though. He has little resistance to the cold and as such is VERY weak to ice magic, and aside from Physical increases to Speed, Strength, & Durability... he doesn't use magic as well. His (UNKNOWN) Origin gives Siege a significant resistance to magic, weakening spells on impact similar to a Dragonslayer's scales though this does not apply to the physical aspect of an attack.

Strong vs: Fire Magic, Wind Magic, Mental Manipulation Magic, Lightning Magic.

Weak vs: Ice Magic(VERY), Earth Magic, Sword Magic.

ATK: 2/5 +3 with Atack Set; +2 with (MAX) Scales

DEF: 5/5 +4(MAX) With Scales

SPD: 6/5 -5(MAX) With Scales

INT: 3/5 +1 With Scales

RES: 2/5 +4(MAX) With Scales

STM: 16/5

 ***Update!**

 **Doragon no teishutsu ken modifiers X2(5s Charge):**

 **ATK: 4/5**

 **DEF: 2.5/5**

 **SPD: 12/5**

 **INT: 6/5**

 **RES: 0/5**

 **STM: 8/5**

 **Doragon no teishutsu ken modifiers X3(10s Charge):**

 **ATK: 6/5**

 **DEF: 1/5**

 **SPD: 18/5**

 **INT: 9/5**

 **RES: 1/5**

 **STM: 1/5 (Can only be used for one attack)**

Techniques:

Defensive Set- Hunkers down with MAX ULTRA Scales. While strong, Seige is unable to move but can easily withstand top tier S-Class Mage Attacks. Doing this, he attempts to tire out the enemy and emerge to attack his weakened foe. -1 to STM.

MAX- ULTRA!: Seige takes his most powerful and dense scales ***(MAX)** and further piles upon them. Seige receives a +4 to Defense and Resistance, but receives -8 to speed. Doing more than sitting is a strain in this set of scales. -3 to STM.

Heat Lacrima: Seige can tap the Lacrima hanging from his hat to relieve environmental cold down to 20 degrees F. Doesn't work against Magic.

Attack set- Using the application of light scales that shatter on impact, Seige can unleash a fast set of attacks to deal devastating amounts of damage to a foe. This cuts into his stamina quickly though. -5 to STM.

Healing Potion- When taking a massive amount of damage, Seige will often use health potions to quickly heal throughout a battle. This doesn't affect his stamina though, meaning he can quickly tire out if forced to use his scales in high frequency.

 ***Doragon no teishutsu ken[** **ドラゴンの提出拳** **] (Submission Fist of the Dragon)- A style that was invented by dragons, and taught to early dragonslayers, this style is only taught to those who a Dragon trusts in modern days. It functions on the basis of storing dormant power like a battery and releasing it in a few select strikes. The longer the power is held, the greater the strain on the user. This technique can be used to produce forces several times the user current ability when let to store. If left to store too long, it can kill the user.**

 ***Update!**

 **Dragons Slayer Magic: Roar- Only known to few, one of the most powerful spells a Slayer has, can be countered. By closing the mouth of a slayer, they cannot release their attack. Since this attack is reliant on the air in a slayer's lungs, forcing more air out during its charge can result in forcing the slayer to release more magical energy than a slayer would normally use.**

 **Dragon Slayer Magic: Properties- To a slayer, their magic is a manifestation of themselves. They can feel through their magic. This gives Fire Dragon Slayers the ability to sense attacks coming as soon as an enemy touches the flames surrounding them. For Iron Dragon Slayers, this is manifested in their iron and allows them to feel their creations as if they are actual limbs. This only applies to spells that extend from a body part, and not attacks like Roar. This comes with downsides as well. For Fire Dragon Slayers, if the fire around them is eaten by another slayer, it can feel as if their skin is being peeled off. For an Iron Dragon Slayer, this manifests as the breaking of tearing off of limbs. While it causes no physical damage to the Slayer, it can be a traumatic experience, often requiring several hours at minimum to recover mentally.**


	5. The People That Change Us

Fairy Tail vs Phantom Lord Pt. 2

"The People That Change Us"

Siege looked down at the broken slayer, guilt reflecting in his eyes. He wished it could have been easier, but it wasn't. Phantom Lord mages gathered at the edge of the crater formed by their landing. They seemed shocked with Gajeel's defeat. Seige turned to them, a cold glare emerging from behind his dirty, wrinkled hat. It's gaze scanned through the crowd before darting up. Seige's eyes widened. A small figure came tumbling down the rafters. It was Makarov, coat torn and in shambles. Seige scowled at the Phantom mages before jumping up, hand covering his hat as it billowed in the air that rushed past him.

It wasn't long until he caught Makarov. He let his momentum carry himself down and landed with a deft swoosh of air. The hall grew quiet as both sides looked on in shock. It was a few moments before the Phantom Mages grew eager, seeing their master 'win' against Makarov making them foolhardy.

It was painful to say, but Seige had to.

"RETREAT! WE CAN'T BEAT JOSE ON OUR OWN!" Seige roared, charging through mages to get to the door

He was quick to reach it, he nearly made it.

"Aria." Seige stated firmly

"How sorrowful, your master had been defeated. It saddens me to have to complete Jose's work."

Seige glanced to his left to see Erza dashing by, clearing room for the weaker members of Fairy Tail. Their eyes met and conveyed the necessary message. Seige tossed the old man to Erza and turned back to Aria. It was surprising that he let him do that. Maybe it has something to do with Jose? He would be the type to let his enemy run before striking. 'Savor the fear' as Jose would put it.

"Aria." Seige stated simply, looking up at the monster of a man

"It saddens me to see you have changed sides."

"I know big guy. Just take care of Gajeel for me? Lead him down a gentler path?"

"I have not been ordered to kill you, nor your master. Sadly, you can save your speech for Gajeel." Aria stated, revealing that his previous statement was a bluff

"That's good. Still, make sure he gets plenty of water. The nightmares that come from what I did won't subside for another week or two. Screaming is pretty hoarse on the throat."

"Let us go... how sorrowful..."

* * *

Erza looked back at the Phantom Lord guild hall. It was in just as much of shambles as Fairy Tail's. She didn't hear the telltale signs of combat, so either Seige was knocked out instantly, or he surrendered. Her eyebrows knit in concern. At least it was Seige there and not someone like Natsu. While she had only known the man for a day, she could tell he knew how to play the part. He could keep himself alive until they could counterattack. Natsu would get himself killed.

"We will return for you. Fairy Tail doesn't abandon its members... no matter how new." She stated before catching up with the group

Derp

Seige groaned as he awoke. He sat back, covering his eyes to the light that surrounded him. He put his head against the nearby stone brick wall, noticing his hat was missing. Not long after, he felt a numbing in his fingers and toes. He'd most likely been out for a few hours. He got up despite the protests of his frozen muscles. He looked around the cell and dragged his feet to the window.

He sluggishly widened his eyes to get a good look at his surroundings. Apparently, he was locked up in a more northern province of Fiore. It was snowing. His body was telling him that in his cell, it was ~20 degrees. Not good. He felt his eyes glaze and his body grow weaker, a natural response to the cold. It would keep him alive for a day at most in these conditions. He sat back down to conserve his energy. He'd need every bit of it to stay alive.

He stayed like that for a while, gently swaying as he focused on maintaining his balance. It wasn't easy, but he kept it going. He couldn't fall asleep. If he did, he may never wake up. He sat there for what felt like hours. While his thoughts did slow, he still carried enough spare energy for his mind to wander... he thought. Would Fairy Tail come to his aid? He didn't know. It wasn't a bad thing to him. He wasn't the type to actually _want_ to die, but he wasn't going to complain. He'd lived a good life in his 29 years. His eyes watered as he remembered one of the most important moments in his life

 **Flashback**

June 6, X777

A 21 year old Seige roamed the woods. His eyes were cast down. This wasn't for any emotional reason, but he was searching for something. There were reports of something killing off the local wildlife at an alarming rate. There also were several attacks on an iron mine, oddly enough. He figured they were _somehow_ connected as the monsters described in both cases had the same roar. Some said it was a Drake... even a Dragon. Seige found both claims to be faulty in his opinion. Dragons had not been seen since the war, and that was well over 300 years ago. He knew Dragons could live millennia, but the chances of one going unnoticed for so long, then suddenly being so loud in making its presence known? As if. Drakes simply resided and attempted to follow their cousins. It was usually seen as Drakes being the middle child among Draconic kind. Siege chuckled.

A gust of wind rushed through the trees around him with a ferocity that reminded him of a storm. Maybe he should head back? He didn't have a coat, and if it rained, he wouldn't be in too pleasant of a situation. He prepared to head back when he noticed some conspicuous crumbled rock scattered through the grass. He brought it up to his nose and immediately caught the scent of iron. He was on the right track. Seige sniffed the air, picking up several scents that had never noticed before. They were reptilian in nature.

"So those villagers weren't complete idiots. It's probably a low flying ***** Cockatrice. At that distance, they wouldn't really be able to tell..." Seige said before rethinking, "But they don't like iron _or_ roar."

The wind collided with him yet again. This time it was so fierce that Seige had trouble standing. Seige looked around and noticed the leaves on the tops of the trees didn't join in the frenzy. Seige covered his eyes to the maelstrom of wind.

"It's coming from the ground?" Seige muttered words lost in the air

Siege's short hair was nearly torn from the roots as he neared the source. It seemed to be a cave, from it came a devilish aura. Seige's instincts told him to shut it down at all cost, for the sake of order. It only took his mind moments to catch up to what his body. This was Time Magic. Not any ordinary Time Magic either, as he felt the bonds of celestial magic emerging off of it in waves. He barely got the question of what to do out before something large, black and reptilian crashed into him, throwing him off his feet and breaking several of his bones.

His quick thinking, and instincts saved him. It seems he had only broken his forearms, and cracked the back of his skull. With his teeth, he removed a healing potion from his satchel, somehow still intact. With his forearms, and therefore hands, useless he had to stick the head of the bottle into his mouth. With a deft tongue, he removed the cork and downed the potion. This was as he heard a heavy groan from the beast in front of him. Seige rubbed his formerly broken forearms, deciding that they'd be a bit tender for the next few hours.

"The things I do for that boy..." The creature mumbled, sniffing the air before speaking again, "There's no use in hiding."

Seige's eyes widened as far as they could go.

"A-Are you a Dragon?" He asked hesitantly

"Yes, and by chance... why are you here?"

"There were rumors of Dragon sightings... I was sent to investigate..." Seige trailed off nervously

This guy could end him in a moment.

"That's odd. I only just arrived..." The Dragon put a talon to his chin

"Well, you look iron to me, and some reptilian beast has been stealing the iron from the nearby coal mines..." Seige started, gaining some confidence

"I see. Then we must stop this fiend. I cannot, however, stroll into town. Your ugly mug will have to suffice instead." The dragon spoke

"Hey, I ain't that ugly! You look like you eat metal out of the trash!" Seige's temper flared, as he made a jab at the Iron Dragon

"I am preparing this area for the arrival of my son. I need to ensure that when he arrives, he will be safe without my company."

"How long?" Seige gave up his frustration for the sake of his life

"One month." The dragon rumbled out sadly, obviously mourning the lack of time spent with the child

"I guess it's only fair that I help you. After all, you are basically royalty to my kind." Siege stated with a smile

"Your kind?" The Dragon asked in disbelief

"I'm half Lizardman." Seige stated proudly

"Ah, so you are a halfling, and a reject... this is going to make my time even harder..."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Your 'kind' as you refer to it are unstable brats that can't even learn common decency. Your kind are savages and dullards."

Seige was left speechless.

 **End Flashback**

Seige gave a warm chuckle despite his ever-lowering body temperature. His second liver gave mere moments ago. That only left the second heart and the third lung. Once those went out, he'd have maybe 20 minutes left. The cold drew him away from any upper thought. His mind drifted.

He was only half conscious when the door opened to reveal a well-covered Jose. His purple and black color scheme was still intact just to highlight his supposed authority. Seige gave a weak chuckle as he felt the warm air from behind the doorframe rush in. It brought his temperature up enough to consciously think, but his lung and liver were going to be out of commission until he completely thawed out.

"Ah, I see you are having a cool time..." Jose stated with a suave that was destroyed by the cringe that Seige felt over the pun

"You need to work on your villain speeches. They're garbage." Seige coughed out defiantly

"I wouldn't say anything so degrading... I am the one your life rides upon..."

"I've done a lot of shit in my life. I'm just fine dying... especially on my own terms." Seige scowled, delaying for some more of that sweet warm air

Keep Jose talking. He'll leave the door open as long as he's speaking.

"If so, then why don't I end you here?" Shade magic danced across Seige's vision, draining his magic

It didn't really matter to him, but still...

"You really think your shade magic will scare someone who doesn't use magic?" Seige asked smugly

Jose's eyebrows knitted in mock concern, frown lines growing even more prominent on his face. His handlebar mustache puffed out slightly at the gesture.

"Oh, but a little birdy..." Jose, using one of his long nails nicked Seige's nose, drawing a small cut along it, "That you have a unique magic. You just don't use it. Scared of it? Do you fear you might hurt others?" He mocked

Seige grew quiet. Jose had him. Gajeel had leaked his magic to Jose.

Derp

"Dammit! Where is he?!" Erza growled in frustration

She was currently combing over every known Phantom installation, and she couldn't find one capable of supporting Siege. She had snuck into the main hall a few hours ago, only to find they had sent him to another outpost in the north. If she didn't find him soon, the chances of tracking Siege down dwindled. If they just started destroying outposts, then Jose might get fed up and return Seige in a body bag.

She was lost.

Maybe she could get Natsu to smell him out? The cold would make sure his scent didn't dissipate quickly...

"Natsu. Come here." She ordered

The slayer immediately stopped his fight with Gray and dashed up to the knight in fear. He stood at attention, fingertips just above his eyebrow.

"Yes Ma'am!" He asked robotically in fear of the redhead's wrath

Erza looked down at the three locations she narrowed it down to.

"Could you possibly sniff out Seige's location between these three locations?" She asked gesturing to the northern mountainous region on the map

"Uh sure... He really stands out ya know. He doesn't smell like any of you." Natsu stated scratching his cheek

"You you implying I smell?" She asked coldly

"Er... No? It just I can smell a boar from a mile and a half away."

"Good. We're making a trip to the Furosutorando mountains. Pack your things. Gray will be joining you."

"Aw! But Ice Pri-" Natsu was cut off by Erza's glare

This wasn't the time for differences. The life of one of their members was on the line.

* * *

Seige watched the door close. It wasn't like he had much choice. Jose attempted to corral him into using it but failed. If that was all he wanted, then he was going to be sorely disappointed. Seige smiled at the annoyance the master must've been feeling. It wasn't as if Seige had many cards to play, but it was satisfying to get the last shot in.

Seige turned his head away from the door, staring at the stone brick wall. It didn't take long for the comfort he felt in the heat to leave him. There was nothing he could do but sit.

"Seige. Are you okay?" He heard a smooth heavenly voice

"Seige, honey. Please don't ignore me." He felt the pain in the voice

"You are merely a hallucination. Nothing more." Seige forced out with a great deal of effort

"You'd deny me?" the woman asked

"I do not deny _her_. I deny a hallucination."

"Now, what did I teach you? That is no way to speak to your mother." She scolded

"I don't think it matters. You... no. _She_ is dead." He said monotone

"Does that even matter now? Most would be happy to see their dead mother." She said with a foreign accent

"Why would I waste my time with you? I don't have much time left anyway. I'll just wait until I can rejoin with the genuine."

"How do you know you will?"

Seige stared at the figure... his _mother_. He took in each and every sight of her ever young figure. This was a hallucination of his mother... right? If so, then how would she not have access to that memory of his? Even his mother knew _that_. Something rubbed Seige the wrong way with the hallucinations actions. Every physical trait was there... The Crimson hair, the Green eyes... Hell, her clothing was exactly the same as the night she was taken from him, but something was off...

" **Oir tha sinn a 'toirt seirbheis don Dhia a tha a' cumail òrdugh an t-saoghail nàdarra gus stad a chur air an fhear a bheir an t-entropy.** " Seige tested in his native tongue a scripture that only a select few knew

"I'm sorry honey, what did you say?" She failed... anyone from Midi would know that phrase by heart

"You are not a hallucination."

"I'm glad you've come to th-"

"You are an illusion." Seige said slowly still slightly unsure despite the obvious evidence, "One born from the magic of Phantom mages if I were to guess correctly."

The phantom disappeared.

Seige smiled and waited. His instinct was correct. Apparently, Phantom Lord had an illusion mage. His joy was quickly met with a wave of exhaustion. Speaking that much, let alone thinking that much had worn himself dry at his current capacity. He sucked in air to regain some of the energy he lost, only to feel a slow chill seep from his lungs. It had probably dropped to 10 by now...

The door opened once again.

Seige didn't even look up. He didn't have the energy. It closed again. He heard the heavy footfalls. They scraped against the ice that lined most of the cell. They stopped in front of him, just outside of his downcast vision.

"Damn... Jose's really puttin' you through the ringer..." A rough gravelly voice cut through the silence in the cell, slightly shivering

Some part of Seige recognized it as the boy he cared for. It saddened him to hear that voice grown. If only he could've stayed...

"Drink." Gajeel stated, holding a warm cup to his mouth

Seige kept his mouth closed. He wasn't going to be at the mercy of Jose. He held there for a few moments before he felt a sharp pain across his cheek. Gajeel had slapped him.

"Damn it. Just drink it okay? Jose don't even know I'm here." Gajeel stated gruffly before tacking on, "Just hurry, I don't want to get caught."

The cup touched his lips again... Should he?

...

...

...

Seige decided to drink.

Warmth spread through his core (Mind outta the gutter.). He felt his body begin to work at a decent capacity again within 30 seconds of sipping through the entire cup. He felt as if it was only his first hour in here.

"How long have I been in here?" Siege coughed out

"Round Forty-five minutes. After Aria knocked you out, we waited an hour or two to bring you here." Gajeel said thumbing the door, "locked you in the cell around five minutes before you woke up."

"Oh." Seige said eyes cast down, "Why are you risking yourself by helping me?"

"You were right. I was being an ass. It's as if I somehow forgot what Metalicana told me."

"He was cool, for the month I knew him that is... any news on where he went?"

"Nah, just a few rumors of some dragonslayers scattered about. Heard of a wind one and a fire..."

"I don't know about the wind, but the fire one... he's the son of Igneel."

"The Fire Dragon _King_?!" Gajeel asked in shock

"Yeah, hot-headed kid for sure... but he's got a _huge_ potential."

"So, got any plans with those fairies? I really hope you don't kick the bucket before I can kick your ass."

"Nah, but with their Slayer... they should be able to pick up on my scent." Seige waved off, "If you come around a few times I should be good by the time they get here."

"Good. I ain't gonna betray Phantom, but I _can_ look the other way when they get here. Jose is already gone for the final assault of your hall, so he shouldn't take notice."

"Yeah, I'm kinda in your debt now..."

"You bet your ass you are." Gajeel growled out, shifting his feet as he turned towards the door

Seige hated that door.

He held strong though... it was his only chance. He had to.

The door shut. No goodbyes.

It was just like Metalicana had done, so Seige let out a bright smile.

* * *

"Hurry Natsu!" Erza badgered as she internally shivered

Currently, they were following a side path in tow of the slayer's nose. They had picked up Seige's scent instantly, and Natsu was on it like a bloodhound... or well... a _dragon_. Erza knew that any dallying could have a disastrous effect.

"I'm working!" Natsu snapped back from the stress

"Well, work harder!" Gray spoke up, attempting to get a free jab despite the presence of Erza

It didn't work in the slightest.

Erza's gauntleted hand slammed into the maker mage's face, sending him into a nearby rock. The crash drew a laugh out of the Slayer, drawing Erza's attention to him. He quickly turned his head and began to whistle. This continued for the next ten minutes until Natus stopped, sniffing the air several times.

"He's nearby."

"How close?"

"He's been here within the past hour."

They broke into a full sprint until they arrived at a tower of sorts. With several off-shooting paths that spread into other small towers. It was a strange structure, to say the least.

"He's in there! Let's go kick some ass!" Natsu said before rushing in true Fairy Tail fashion

The group rushed forward with a feverity that was unmatched amongst the other guilds. The two guards at the front were met with double clothesline courtesy of Natsu, knocking them cold in an instant. The three tore through the station, rocking its sturdy foundations.

Fairy Tail was there for a rescue.

Derp

Gajeel glanced around at the scrambling mages the surrounded him. He gave a low chuckle, cracking his neck and then his knuckles. His nose told him they had Salamander with them too...

"This is gonna be _fun_." He laughed out

As if on cue, flames burst through the stone walls sending several of the mages sprawling through the air. Gajeel casually caught two of them from falling out of the nearby window by their collars. He dropped them as he walked towards his fellow slayer. Shortly after though, a second mage came through. It was Titania.

"Shit." Gajeel grumbled out

"Where is Seige?" She demanded

"As much as I'd love to see Y'all get him outta there. I gotta fight you. I gotta put up a fight for Jose, so make it flashy." Gajeel answered casually, thumbing towards the iron door to his right

"Natsu, in this weather he is most likely freezing. I will give Gajeel this fight, you get Seige and warm him up." Erza stated, drawing her sword

"Aww, but-!"

"This is a matter of his survival!" She reminded the slayer

" _Fine..._ " he stated darting into the room without any resistance from Gajeel

"You aren't going to stop him?" She asked in confusion

"As much as I've got to hate about that guy... he don't deserve to kick the bucket... _especially_ like that. So, are we gonna do this?"

"All right, I shall indulge your request if only for your cooperation."

"Good."

Erza rushed forward silently, opening with a jab directed for the slayer's shoulders. Her sword was batted away as Iron Scales spread across his skin. She swung again, and the slayer dodged, losing a few hairs in the process. He ducked under her extended arm and attempted to deliver an elbow to her kidney, but his elbow was caught. Erza drew her sword back and nicked Gajeel's ear, only stopping because of the piercing in it. He grabbed the blade before it could be brought to her side, and dragged it forward and out of her hands. After all, the blade wasn't special. Why hold onto it? She soon regretted her decision as she watched in awe as the Slayer ate her weapon.

"That's a nice blade ya got there Ghihihihihih..."

"So, you can eat your element just as Natsu can." She confirmed, slipping on a mask of composure

"Yep, and you're covered in it." He said with a lecherous glare

The woman's spine immediately grew stiff, her grip on her new sword loosened, and her face lost all emotion. She drew her sword to the side as winds grew to surround her. Gajeel could tell this wasn't from any form of wind magic, but the sheer energy she was releasing. Gajeel gulped as his iron scales grew thicker in self-defense.

"Er... I w-" Gajeel tried, but was met with nothing

He glanced around and found nothing. She disappeared. His head darted to the right upon hearing what he thought was movement. He only saw a small plume of dust settling.

"Damnit. Stop hiding!"

"As you wish." A voice whispered behind him

His head snapped around to look at the mage. He barely had time to see Titania in her flight armor, palm open. She grabbed him with her immaculate strength and planted him into the stone wall. Gajeel's scales shattered under the strike. The slayer lost consciousness just in time to hear the closing words of the Fairy Tail mage.

"Looking at a lady with such a look is unbecoming of a gentleman. The only reason I spare you now is honor... A life for a life. Spend this new life doing greater. Find family and friends to grow stronger for." She stated, requiping into her standard set of armor

* * *

Seige shivered despite the fire that he was next to. Natsu had carried him to a small room with good ventilation, gathered some leftover wood from the upholstery and built a fire for the man. He was grateful to say the least. He honestly couldn't see how humans got by with only two lungs... it must be tiring for them to have to breathe so often...

"Thank you." Natsu broke the silence

"What do you mean?"

"You caught Master after Jose took him out. You stayed behind so we could get him out quick. You did that for a guy you just met a day and a half ago." Natsu said solemnly

"While I may not have the deep bonds you share with your friends... I respect Makarov. He is a man wise beyond anything I could hope. He has been through many trials yet wears his scars as a badge of honor. He has faced his demons and prevailed. I have merely spent my life running from them."

"We all have our demons... it's my friends and family that allow me to face them." Natsu quietly stated, turning to the hybrid

"I guess I have a lot to learn then..."

"You know it!" The slayer grinned out, giving a thumbs up

* * *

A/N:

So, that's chapter 5.

I wanted to really hammer home the relation between Seige and his mother and give a bit of backstory as to why Gajeel would even trust Seige in the first place. When it's appropriate, I'll go into more detail on both but for now I want to keep that a mystery.

Now for a minor codex update:

 ***Cockatrice: A Reptilian bird that is common to most warmer areas of Earthland. It is traditionally long bodied and neutral to its surroundings. It feasts on small trees and basic cattle choosing to nest in mountainous regions. Often mistaken for a dragon to the untrained eye if it is flying at a moderate pace.**


	6. Deaf Ears

Phantom Lord vs Fairy Tail pt 3

"Deaf Ears"

Seige sighed as he sat in front of a small flame that Natsu produced for him. It was ironic in a sense, him being saved by a magic that was dangerous to him. He rubbed his hands together before holding them a few inches from the flame. Natsu and Gray had left Erza to deal with Gajeel and had asked her to find his hat. With the crystal on that hat, he would be able to recover much faster.

As if on cue, he heard the footsteps of Erza as she approached the wagon. Seige looked away from the flame to see his familiar blue hat, slightly worse for wear but intact.

"Is this the correct hat Seige?" She asked, approaching the cart in a casual jog

"Yeah, thanks. Y'all's weather is definitely not good for my health." He said, giving a nod of thanks before grasping his hat and sliding it on his head

Seige immediately flicked the crystal twice, sending the little lacrama into overdrive. With a sigh of relief, he leaned back in his seat. The cart shook slightly as Erza boarded, and sat next to Gray and Natsu.

"Do you have any idea why they may have wanted you? Their choice in location, and the fact that they seemed to know you suggest there is more going on here than I am privy to."

"I don't know about Fairy Tail, but Phantom has a large infrastructure in several of the neighboring countries. These are often centralized in hubs. I lived in a forest just south of the capital and the Marshlands. Jose may have heard of my mother and I from those connections…" Seige stated, hand to his chin

"You seem to think there is another possibility," Erza stated

Seige looked up are her, frown ever present and his crimson eyebrows furrowed.

"Another possibility would be Gajeel." He stated simply

"I guessed you had some former connection." She stated, thinking deeply, "The question is how deep?"

"I don't know… that's the issue…"

"How do you not know how close you were to the guy? Either you hated him, he was an acquaintance, or you were friends." Gray said as if it were simple

"Our relation is more complex than that. Before I left him with Phantom, I would say that I was akin to his older brother… even uncle. I was the only and last one who knew his father on a significant basis. After losing him, I was a comfort… a sign of the past if you will." Seige stated with hunched shoulders, hat dipping to cover everything but his mouth to his fellow guildmates

"Are you saying you knew his dragon?" Natsu said wide-eyed at a potential lead on his own father

"Only for a month. I… it isn't my place to discuss the reasons for their departure…" Seige said wincing at the instantly hardened glare from the slayer

"So, you know where Igneel went and you won't tell me?!" The slayer's voice crescendoed

"I promised Metalicana that I would not divulge that until Igneel deemed it appropriate. I wouldn't dare break a promise to a dragon even if it meant facing death. It would lose the right to associate myself with Lizardmen-kind if I did so." Siege stated firmly, chest squared as Natsu stood up in the carriage despite his frailty to travel

"I don't give a damn about promises! I want my father back!"

"I am bound." Seige solemnly stated as the slayer wound a flame covered fist back

"Enough!" Erza's voice boomed, silencing both the patrician slayer and the plebeian Bounty Hunter, "I will silence you both with my sword if you do not stop this foolishness! We have more immediate issues upon our step! We can deal with this after Phantom."

A tense silence gripped the wagon unlike that in which any of its riders had ever seen.

And so they continued.

The tension between the riders of the wagon further grew as they approached Magnolia. Upon entering the road towards the broken guild hall, a low rumble permeated the very air. It was as if the earth itself were quivering in fear. Seige's magical senses failed to reveal its source, but his eyes did not.

He glanced to his fore-right and saw the nearly unconscious slayer lift his head, shock adorning his face. It was not sensed by the other two in the group as their noses couldn't pick up on the slight shift in the tone of the air. Something massive was causing this…

And before mentioned sight, surely caught it. In the distance, there was a massive structure closely resembling the Phantom guildhall. It's stone walls and towers glistening as the sea's saltwater reflected off of it. Seige's enhanced eyesight caught a glimpse of the Phantom Lord guild mark taunting proudly on each of the soaked banners. The black and purple flags regained haughtily. As an opposing mage, it was an intimidating sight, to say the least.

Siege was in awe. Since his arrival in Fiore, he had not seen any such technological even resembling this. To accomplish this with the help of magic would even be a feat beyond even a majority of the famed Midian Engineers. While in his country, magic was shunned and deemed abhorrent by the laws that governed reality. As such, their technology was something to be feared. Especially after it spawned a whole new breed of life.

Machines gave life without the aid of magic.

He hoped to everything his gods could muster that Phantom's base wasn't under the management of one such being for their power and knowledge spread far faster than any mortal being.

"Hey Erza, you hear that?" Gray called out, confusion slowly spreading across his face

"Now that you mention it I do fee-" She was interrupted by Seige as he grasped the shoulder joint in her armor, turned her around and pointed to the distance

"We are doomed." She followed his finger until she let out a gasp of shock

* * *

Inside the Guildhall, it was a somber afternoon. Its members were still licking their wounds after all. Mira kept a soft smile in spite of the conflict. Fairy Tail would prevail. She just knew it. That spirit that she had a wealth of was still within her. Fairy Tail spirit was the most powerful force among the guild. With it, they could conquer any odds.

The ground shook briefly.

Mira wrote it off to one of the many fights still spread throughout the guild despite the conflict within its members. She picked up a drink from the bar table and began to carry it over to the member who ordered it. The alcoholic smell made her nose twist up at its pungency.

The ground shook again, spilling the drink over her blouse.

She expected a few cheers of excitement over her white blouse getting soaked but was surprised to find most members clutching the nearest support to them. She grew fearful for a moment before her instincts took over and calmed her. She stretched her senses out as part of this and instantly regretted it. Waves of nausea rippled throughout her body as she sensed a magical presence so vile, corrupt, and disgusting that she drew back from it. Try as she might though, the presence never left her peripheral. It promised things that almost made the woman dart for the nearest thing to cover any exposed skin.

And she could tell that it wasn't even attempting to put this forth, in actuality, it was this person's true nature. Their magical signature if you will. Her mind blanked as she realized that she was sensing the 5th strongest man on the continent of Fiore.

Jose Porla.

Her heart sank at the thought. Without Makarov in proper condition, they didn't stand a chance. She glanced around, attempting to see if she could put some form of defense with their help… at least until Makarov returned. She came to the conclusion that they would need at least Erza, Gray and Natsu.

"We need to get outside!" Her voice cut through the confusion

Most didn't listen until the wood above them began to creak from the tremors. After that, it was beyond impossible to keep them from rushing out the doors. She gave a brief smile in spite of the circumstance. Still Fairy Tail in spite of the dire situation.

* * *

The group rushed to the guild hall as quickly as they could, barring Erza and Seige. To be more accurate, it should be said that they were getting there as fast as they could with Gray being slower than Erza due to his lesser magical power, and Seige as he was encumbered by a still sick Natsu.

As they approached the guild, the noticed its members scurrying out of the building as if to defend the building with their lives. It gave Seige a bit more faith in the mages of Fiore. Perhaps they were different than the ones in Midi.

"Is that Erza! We're saved!" Some of the weaker members cried, not knowing the true difference in power between their opponents and their so-called savior

Seige approached the group, silently dropping the Natsu into the ground in a comfortable position. He looked up at the hall, frowning in concentration. From what he could tell, the structure's style wasn't Midian, nor was of Alvarez. He breathed a sigh of relief. He doubted that any normal mage could stand to beat the metal men.

"We at least have a chance." Seige said out loud

"I agree, as long as we don't have to deal with any surprises we should be able to hold them off until master recovers." Agreed Erza

"From what I can tell, the weak points on the structure should be the joints. If we attack those, we could destabilize the structure and it will come crumbling down."

Slowly, a front area of the castle opened up revealing a large cannon. It seemed to be made of a black metal. To most it was foreign, to Seige though, it was a poor omen. If he was correct, it was a rare metal called Afechsus (Ah-Fee-Ch-Us). It was completely impervious to magic. How Phantom gathered so much of it boggled his mind. It was what gave his scales the resistance to magic that they did. It was everywhere, common but nearly impossible to actually manufacture due to its massive heat resistance. Why would he make a cannon out of that? It seemed a bit overkill to Seige…

A black swirl began to form at the cannon's front, nearly putting the weaker members to the ground from the magical pressure. Seige's eyes widened in shock.

"NO! ARE YOU CRAZY JOSE?! YOU'LL DESTROY MAGNOLIA!" Seige screamed out rushing into the line of fire along with Erza, who recognized the weapon and its destructive power as well

"Seige, I will stop the cannon. You must ensure that the guild remains safe." Erza spoke, white light surrounding her and her most durable armor encasing her like a tomb

"You can't stop The Jupiter! If it can output as much as I think, you'll die!"

Unbeknownst to everybody but Seige and Mira, Erza's energy spiked in a manner that was only possible in one case. Seige knew because of his senses, Mira knew because she had attempted it. Erza was planning to use her life force to fuel her defense. It would stop the attack, but she would most likely lose a few years. Seige's eyes hardened.

"Okay Erza, I will trust you." Seige said hollowly, color draining from his face as he moved behind her as if to put a hand on her shoulder in thanks

"Thank Yo-" Erza's eyes rolled to the back of her skull, she went limp and her base armor emerged and protected her on instinct

Seige caught her in his arms, guilt permeating his pores. He hated lying, but if it meant sparing a life, he would do it. He tossed Erza to Mira, eliciting a squeak of surprise from the woman.

"She will need rest after gathering that force and having it suddenly cut off. The strain on her body will be extensive. Lay her to rest." Seige spoke, words coming off in a more archaic accent, one that echoed at the very air and left no room for debate

"So, you have chosen to attack the innocent. You have forced me into a position of extreme displeasure each time you risk an innocent. This would be the method you choose to assault us? Very simplistic indeed." Scales grew to surround the man, these ones a contrasting his normally blotted forest green with a turquoise set

The beam, arching with powerful bolts of magical energy, raced towards the open palms of Seige, to be stopped. An aura surrounded the man as the beam encompassed him, filling a sphere of magical energy that surrounded him. The roar of the beam deafened the guild to Seige's words, they spoke of a sorrow and a guilt. It was the same guilt that led him to flee.

A guilt borne of mistakes, and of hardships, of happy times, and of wonderful people. It was borne of hatred of magic and of the gods that had punished his mother.

"I'm sorry Mother…"

It would never be heard by the guild, nor even the one who spoke it.

For, those words signified the unity of two magics, two sworn to be apart in the face of guilt, destruction, death, and despair.

Jupiter was halted.

* * *

A/N, I really like this chapter, and I hope you guys do as well. This is an insight into Seige's past, and I want to provide a gradual narrative for his past and how it relates to his actions in the now.

So, here's the only think codex wise that I want to update:

CODEX UPDATE!

Afechsus (AH-FEE-CH-US)- Afechus is a rare alloy created in the reaction between Platinum and Magic Particles. It is commonly found in Midi due to the extreme levels of magic particles in the air. It is hard to shape and manufacture though, due to its extreme resistance to magic and heat. Modern forging methods in most countries rely on Magical aid heavily to shape and forge metals. Actual manufacturing requires an Afechsus Forge, a glorified hydraulic press that uses a diamond head to manually squash the metal into the desired shape. This only works because of the unique ductile strength of the metal.

It is found in the Scales of several beasts throughout Earthland, often giving them an apparent resistance to magic. These beasts magical aurae allow for different subset alloys of Afechsus to be made.

A list has been composed of the varying subset alloys

Drake Afechsus- Drake Elemental Magic + Platinum

*Traditionally what Drake Scales are comprised of.

Dragon Afechsus- Dragon Elemental Magic + Platinum

*Traditionally what Dragon Scales are comprised of.

Blizzardic Afechsus- Ice Magic + Platinum

Blazen Afechsus- Fire Magic + Platinum

Adamantite (Defense Afechsus) Anti-Magic + Platinum

*Most common Alloy of Afechsus, only found in natural veins.

Forgone Afechsus- Unknown Magic + Platinum

*A rare variant of Afechsus only able to be forged by the gods themselves. It is theorized that it could be made with Celestial magic as a substitute, but all attempts have resulted in failure. There are only 4 artifacts known to be made of this substance. The Eye of Etherion, The staff of Ikusa-Tsunagi, The Soul of the Phoenix, and Grimoire's Heart (Originally called The Link to One)

Vortex Defense Afechsus- Absorption Defense Reflection Magic + Platinum

* Absorbs the magic from a source and reinforces the metal, potentially giving this the highest resistance of all forms of Afechsus.

Holy Afechsus- Holy Magic +Platinum

Mimic Afechsus- Copy Magic + Platinum

* Mimics the Magic used against it.

A/N:

So hey? Sorry?

*Dodges pitchfork*

I never really intended to no post… but er… I forgot?

Honestly… I didn't forget to write… just post it.

So.. I have 8 chapters in stock and am working on the 9th. So yay? The main delay will be some last minute editing but to make it up to my small following, I will be posting every 2 days until I run out of reserve chapters or I feel I've made it up to you guys. So hey? Frequent updates!

Well…

See Ya Next Time.


	7. Running From the Past

Phantom Lord vs Fairy Tail pt 4

"Running From the Past"

Seige's eyes blurred as he fought to maintain his balance after stopping a shot from Jupiter. He could feel its magic flooding him, and threatening to escape. Stretching one's magical container in the way he did was risky, to say the least. It nearly burst as it was edging the 20x mark. He honestly didn't even think it could stretch so far…

He fell to one knee, spitting out a glob of liquidized lacrama. His body was trying to rid itself of the foreign energy faster than he could exude it from his pores passively. He decided to indulge his body and the same liquid poured from his pores at an accelerated rate, now under his control. It gathered into a small crystal that hovered in his palm. It was the size of a grapefruit and swirling. It swirled faster until it began to harden into a solid lacrima crystal.

Seige frowned as the process ended. It disgusted him, this ball. The magic used to create it, more so. He hated it, and he despised it… but he would no longer run from it.

After this, he would visit his home. He would visit Midi, and face the music as those born in Fiore called it.

"We can beat Jose now." Seige stated through the smoke that still clogged the air

Seeing as no one heard him, he gathered their attention with a swift strike to the smoke. It dissipated with a gust that ruffled the clothing of the members.

"We can now beat Jose. We will need Erza's help though." Seige said again, but with the tacked on statement

"If that was all the gun did, then how do you expect us to beat him? We got lucky you stopped the beam, but that doesn't mean we can take on a Wizard Saint!" Max, the sand mage, spoke up

"We can with this." Seige held out the lacrama, "This contains roughly 80% of the power from that beam. With it, we should be able to at least weaken him severely. With Erza's help, we should be able to stop him."

"What about the Element 4?" A strong stern voice spoke up, belonging to the Scarlet Knight

"You're awake." Seige stated calmly, glancing back at her

"Yes, and while I am quite upset with you… the concerns of the guild surpass my will to punish you. After this, I will see to making sure retribution is delivered. For now, though, we need your abilities."

"No questions? Not really complaining, but I did lie."

"We all have our darkened pasts… and few here are willing to embrace them, and grow stronger. Fairy Tail is a place to give its members the strength to face them. If I pushed you, It would be the height of hypocrisy."

"Damn… first the Master, then you? This guild is gonna get me soon if I don't watch out…" Seige said, chuckling with a hand on the back of his neck

"So, let me repeat myself: What are you going to do about the Element 4?"

"I don't know… Gajeel won't be an issue thanks to you, but that leaves Aria, Juvia, Totomaru, and Sol." He said with a moment of thought, "Now that I think about it, we haven't dropped a single member of the Element 4."

"I could take on Aria," Erza stated

"Yes, that is true… now that you have an idea of his skillset, you should be able to beat him with moderate effort. That still leaves Juvia, Totomaru, and Sol."

"I got Juvia." Gray spoke up, earning a nod from Seige

"I'll kick that Toto guy's ass!" Natsu roared

"No. Totomaru will tear you apart." Seige stated

"But I can! I figured out how he messes with my fire! I read tha-"

"Wait, Charcoal reading? That's a new one!" Gray chuckled out

"Fight me!"

"ENOUGH!" Erza interrupted the two, "Natsu, elaborate please?"

"Well… Scaley said that... er… what's his name again?"

"Totomaru."

"Yeah! Him! He controls fire, right? Well, don't I control it too? I read up on it and I found out if I focus on my fire really hard, and where I want it to go, I'll be able to keep him from controlling it!"

"... You're not actually wrong Natsu. Good point." Seige said after a moment of consideration

"Wait, he's right?!" Gray burst out

"Surprisingly Y-"

"Aw come on! I'm not that dumb!"

"As I was saying, yes. Fire is a hard to control element. Much harder than your ice. Fire often has a will of its own, and while that is helpful in some cases… it can also cause issues." He turned to Natsu, "If you actually want to control it, you should see Macao. His mastery of fire shouldn't be discounted."

"All RIGHT!" Natsu pumped his fist into the air while Macao seemed genuinely surprised at the praise

"So, who will take Sol?" Seige asked as Natsu pestered Macao

"Ah. So this thing is finally on!"

Seige turned to the mansion owned by Phantom as the source seemed to be located there. The air vibrated with the power of the magical speakers. It was an interesting use of the magic, and would sure strike terror into any who faced it.

Intimidation was powerful afterall.

"I must commend you for stopping my cannon. It is a beauty of magical engineering created by the finest smiths Earthland has to offer! I see now that you deserve at least a semblance of a chance of survival. So, here is my offer: Disband and hand over the Heartfilia girl, or I destroy you and this whole pathetic town with my cannon. Oh and Seige Aeris? This is what traitors to Phantom get."

The message cut out as Seige looked out to the tallest of the spires to see a glint of light from it. His eyes widened as the group looked in confusion. A flash and a colossal explosion rung through the air. It left several ears ringing, but everybody seemed to be standing. They congratulated each other on the apparent failure of Phantom to hurt them.

That was until they heard someone stumble. All eyes were trained on Seige as he wavered, while several keen eyes noticed the distinct red splotch that was growing in his chest. He stumbled again, seeming to choke on the air itself.

They called out to the newest member, but the words never reached the halfling for a bullet composed of Dragon Iron had embedded itself in his chest. He gave one last stumble before dropping to the ground.

* * *

A man with ocean blue hair looked up from his drink. His white armor glistened from the soft candle glow. His face was thin and fair, small freckles spotting his face periodically. His eyebrows were thick, but not overly so that they would be bushy. Both of his eyes shone a brilliant hazel, and they held years of experience.

"Arbiter, we have found a lock on Priority One. He seems to be in central Fiore." The man heard a soft voice behind him

"Thank you Jibrahi, is that all?"

"We have received reports of Priority Two in Alvarez. No reports of abnormal activity beyond several rebellions. Power scaling indicates that they still operate at a 2.5."

"I see. I'll leave that be for now. Come see me again if you have any further news on Priority One."

"Yes, my Arbiter."

The man slicked back his hair and downed his glass. Damn… he liked a good glass of Whiskey to get through the day. He sat down the glass and poked it in boredom, causing spiderweb cracks to form along its surface. Several moments later, the glass broke apart into a fine whitish-brown powder. He swished his finger in the dust and it reformed into the same glass.

"Damn…" his gravely, authoritative tone spoke

His anger flared. It burst forth and he broke the glass again. It slowly gathered back into its former shape again. He sighed out in frustration and looked carefully at his reflection in the ornate mirror that hung to the left of his throne.

"Why… why does nothing ever CHANGE!?" He threw the glass at the mirror, and both broke apart

The man stared in satisfaction at the corrupted reflection that stared back at him. A smile grew on his face for a few moments, hope dancing across his eyes only to be met with a reformed perfectly clean and polished mirror. He brought a gauntleted hand to his face as tears streamed down them. His sobs were quiet, gradual, and well practiced. He had done this before.

The streams down his cheeks ceased to exist moments later. It was as if they had never fallen, to begin with. His eyes showed none of the signs of grief, nor any sign of his former weeping. His face now twisted into a bitter smile, as if he expected the breakdown.

A knock rang through his room, bringing him from his thoughts.

"Arbiter, I have come to alert you that the ceremony is about to take place." a new female voice said through the door, unmuffled and perfect

"Thank you. I will be out momentarily." He gave a warm smile despite his true feelings

His mental strength fortified his movements and sharpened his tongue. He was glad for that fact. While things would never change, he could stay satisfied knowing that his suffering was shared in some capacity by his friends. They may not realize it yet, but the life they lived was a sham compared to those of lower standing.

He sat up and exited his quarters escorted by a young beauty with raven hair and two stocky, yet short horns that seemed to be made of some foliage. Her face was soft and round, with high cheeks and plump lips. She was short, something he found odd about the girl due to her surprising temper. It was as if she was meant to be a walking contradiction. For all he knew, it was the case. He stretched his arms on habit, despite the lack of any need. There were no physical needs in this realm after all. Even his drink was pointless. No doubt when he returned to his room, the glass would be full yet again.

"Pardon my question my Arbiter, but why do you still perform those useless actions? Is no need thanks to the grace of our Lord?" Her soft voice asked, genuinely curious

"Tell me, Alba, Do you know why we live as we do?"

"To serve our lord of course?" She asked unsure of why he would ask her such an obvious question

"Have you considered that it may be that we are to serve those 'afflicted' with entropy?"

"But that would be blasphemy!" She spoke as if he had stated the sky was green

"Consider this. Why would I, a being born from the 'afflicted' that you distance yourself from, be the overseer of beings created without flaw, nor with any entropy as chosen by our Lord?"

"Your words unsettle me." She frowned out

"I was chosen because I understand more than you, or any other of the servants. These little actions are born from an understanding of what pain is. What suffering feels like… and with this understanding, I can better serve our Lord."

"I see… you say that Entropy is what makes you a better servant. If that is the case, I must request one thing."

They happened upon their destination. The gold, white doors that held the conference room. It was mainly used for communication between the different branches that he oversaw. She stopped next to him about to ask her question, but he interrupted her.

"I will hear your request, but let us get through this meeting first?" He gave a charming smile to the girl, earning an acknowledging one in return

He opened the door to find what he expected, a clean and orderly staff waiting, sitting in clean and untarnished metal seats. They sat in sections that were designated by the symbols that adorned the table. It was something that made his job easier and one of the few places where he was thankful for the lack of chaos. If things were perfect, and could not change, then they would forever remain perfect.

"Ah Arbiter, you are here!" Jibrahi cheered as she directed him to his seat at the circular table

He courteously took the seat and thanked the slim woman, glancing at Alba as he sat. It was rare for the servants to actually request things, so it drew his attention from the purpose of the meeting.

"Now that things are in order…" Jibrahi stated with passion, forcing the arbiter to cringe at the unintentional pun

"We must get to business. Is there any concerns with the investigative branch?"

"We have a few concerns." A man with short white hair in a suit, stood tall

The arbiter recognized him as Sez.

"Then let them be heard." Jibrahi calmly requested

"We are having difficulties tracking the one known as Acnologia. With his strength leveling out to an 11.7 and growing, we are having difficulties avoiding his senses. I think we should call Judgment in. If it grows any further, it may outstrip even him…"

Gasps flooded the hall, in an orderly manner of course but to cause such a reaction simply highlighted the concern growing throughout the room. The arbiter saw this and a white flash surrounded his hand, in it, a staff appeared. It clacked against the ground once, but the effect was immediate. They silenced their fears and turned towards their leader.

"Tell me Sez, is there any mortal that can compete with the monster?"

"Well… there still is that one girl… the one cursed by our Lord's brother."

"Ah, her… do you think they would be able to defeat The Chaos Beast with that power?"

"From our observations, she would not alone… for she is incapacitated."

"What does that mean?" The arbiter asked

"She is currently frail of body. It would be unwise to undo the curse laid upon her though… it is of that same curse that is born of Zeref."

"The Curse of Contradiction… quite the nasty bug… even for Ankhseram…"

"Yes, it would seem that would be the case."

"Could you get in touch and work out the details for this? Honestly, it will only take some subtle dream manipulation to get Zeref to figure out what to do."

"You want them to merge powers?"

"Yes."

"That could create a monster worse than Acnologia!"

"True… forgive me… that could end the world." The Arbiter regretted his suggestion immediately

"Only the gods fail to make mistakes."

He silently scoffed at that. They weren't as powerful as believed. He knew that for a fact. He was one of the first to inhabit earthland. He knew of the days where man challenged the gods. He would remember those days in vivid detail.

Before Dragons ruled the world… it was mages.

* * *

Bit of a fustercluck eh?

So, this is the next chapter in the long list I have to give you guys.

Also, I'm looking into having some help getting the story bits here better developed especially considering this is by far what I consider one of my weaker chapters. If you don't mind some spoilers and all that, I'd be glad to have someone to bounce some ideas off of because this is a solo job right now and most of the work for me is finding the ideas for the arcs. I will go through the cannon, but I do plan to let the main characters shine at certain moments. I won't have Seige be taking too many moments from the Guild's character progression. Those unique arcs that develop Seige as a character are what I really need some help with. Up at Ch 14, I'm only churning out ~600 words a day when I got Phantom's arc written in ~4 days. And it's got a good 10k left in it plus what you guys already got.

So yeah…

PM me if you're interested.

Well, that should be it.

See ya next time.


	8. Midian Steel

Midian Steel

The air grew deathly chilly as they saw the newest member fall to the ground. Death, while an understood concept and sometimes well-understood concept among the guild's members, it came to them as no less of a shock. They stood there for a few moments in shock, Erza snapping out of her trance first.

"Natsu, I get some fire ready! I need to pull whatever is in his chest out first though!" She requipped into a suit that looked more like a nurse outfit, knocking the rest including Natsu out if their gaze

"Gray, can you cool him so that he doesn't lose blood as quickly?"

"Y-yeah…" The Maker Mage said, bringing his hands over Seige's heart and began letting out a frosty mist

The S-Class mage began to pull sets of blades out of her outfit, each small and seemingly brittle. Each one glistened with a sterile light. A groaning sound from the man as she brought the blades towards him only to be stopped by a hand. It shook at the effort it had to deliver to stop her hand, but it halted the hand.

"Grab my bag… It... has potions…" Seige coughed out

Erza ignored her instincts and followed the man's instructions. She grabbed the blue bag with feverity that surprised herself. She, by all means, would have ignored anyone else if they made such a request. She wondered why she had believed Seige.

"Thank... you." The man said as she handed him the bag

She watched in anticipation as to what he would pull out of the bag. His hand dug in and revealed several odd potions, almost all were foreign to her eyes. What she did recognize were actually quite expensive, but the bottles looked worn. She could tell by the seals on the neck of each bottle, that they had been sealed and resealed several times. That was something only homebrewers did. So the man was not only foreign, had a strange unknown magic, was a hybrid of something and what she guessed was human, and a brewer. She would have to ask later, as she saw the man down a red one that seemed to cause a great deal of discomfort. She watched as a small mushroomed projectile exited his body slowly along with accompanying shards. He coughed again with extended gasps that made her reach out to help the man but was stopped by his outstretched hand. Blood spat from his lips and got caught in his thin beard causing her to cringe.

"I am going to rip Jose to pieces." Seige growled out, undoing his vest and coat

A faint white scar was all that remained of the deadly shot.

"You're alive…" She half asked, half stated

"Yeah, I am. It was a bitch that they used Dragon Iron though. If it weren't for you guys, I'd be six feet under. That basically cuts my ability to heal to nothing. Clever move on their part. I'm sure that was their only shot though."

"What do you mean?" Erza asked

"Well," He picked up the slug, "This thing here would have taken a metric ass-ton of energy to throw out of a magical weapon. Dragonslayers use a very old and primal magic. Are you aware of magical tiers?"

"Yes, it ranks magic on its difficulty to master, power requirements and complexity of the actual magic. It ranks 1 to 10 if I remember correctly?"

"That you are. Gun magic ranks a 2. It is easy to pick up and master. Would you like to guess DragonSlayer Magic's standing?"

"Well, no lost magic ranks below a 4. I would say a 5?"

"It is a 7 in all truth, same as actual dragon magic. That is why they are able to surpass the near immunity to magic that dragons have. Using such a low tier magic on such a pure and powerful magic would be incredibly costly."

"In what way?"

"The bullet they fired was likely the size of my head when it left the barrel."

"It broke down that fast?" Bisca, the actual gun mage, spoke up in shock

"You have experience with gun magic?" He asked, glancing at the gun slung over her shoulder

"Yeah. I'm a gun mage." She stated, earning a smile from the halfling

"Good, that makes my plan much easier."

"Oh, what is your plan?" Gray finally spoke up, still snippy after the close call (A/N: Pun intended)

"We shoot the lacrama at Jose."

* * *

Jose was furious.

He should never have hired that conniving turncoat. His fingers, long and thin, gripped his chair as he roughly rubbed his face. Maybe the stress was getting to him? Sure, this wasn't even close to his first time skirting the law. It wasn't even his first time attacking Fairies. So, by all means, he shouldn't be that stressed.

So, what was the cause of this unwarranted stress? It had to be the next person he hired. This time, instead of hiring a two-bit bounty hunter he hired an actual assassin. The real hardcore stuff. His long, thin face twisted into a grin as he heard a massive boom. That would be the shot that would kill the pesky bounty hunter. After his escape, and the incapacitation of Gajeel he knew that he had to really put some effort into getting rid of the thorn in his side. Apparently, the man was more competent than Jose had given him credit for. The assassin would sort that out quickly though.

Her name was Sevarei.

Jose had to compliment her on the resume too… She was fluent in every major language on the continent, she had a total of over 600 kills under her belt. She had toppled kings and resistance leaders. She was known for all this, and Jose couldn't even tell what race she was.

He had never actually seen her skin. It made him curious. What did she look like under the metal armor he had seen? He shook his head at the thought. It was unbecoming of him to let his desires take over like that. He frowned. What was taking her so long to get back?

He tapped his fingers impatiently.

Soon he heard light clacks of the metal shoes the woman wore. They slightly rang through the halls as they grew closer. Upon entering, he was met with surprise as he saw the woman's cloak in her hand instead of on her shoulders. He had never seen her without it. Strange.

"I see you have completed your task."

She continued her walk, now Jose could hear a slight draft. It was coming from the girl.

"The target is down. It took longer than I thought though. It barely made it to him."

"That it made it to him was all I need." Jose smiled

"I have a question."

"With my soon arriving victory, I'm feeling a bit.. gracious. Go ahead."

"What did I hit him with? It seemed less like the shot actually hurt him, but something in it."

"It was Dragonslayer Iron."

"6th Tier magic? Damn… no wonder I lost a chunk of my magic on that."

"Yes, I figured someone with your qualifications would be able to handle it."

"While you are right, it would have been nice for some heads up. It's going to take a few hours to replenish my magic…"

"Not my concern in the grand scheme of things." Jose said with a smile before his eyebrows knitted in thought, "On second thought, it is."

The woman gave a chirp of curiosity.

"Well, I would actually like to hire your services again. If that pesky bounty hunter is truly dead then I will double your payment."

"Who's next?" She said grabbing her rifle as the air in the room shifted

"No one in particular. I am missing one of my S Class mages, and need a replacement for the defense of this castle. It will take a few minutes to recharge Jupiter. It is likely that the Fairy scum will attempt to storm our gates."

"Alright. Where do you want me?"

"Floor 6, room 8. Do you remember where that is?"

"Of course. I never forget. It's the generator room."

Jose silently chuckled as he watched the woman leave. He watched the sway in her step with interest, curiosity revealing in his features. Maybe he would hire the girl more often…

* * *

Seige smiled as he scaled one of the legs that supported the large magical structure. The plan was perfect. They formed into boarding parties, each scaling a separate leg. Natsu, Gray, and Erza were on the first of the four legs. They were the decoy. The second team consisted of Macao, Max, Bisca, and Alzack. They were for general infiltration and were meant to stop anything that could hiccup the operation. Team Shadow Gear was the sabotage team. Their job was to stop the base from moving or firing again.

Seige scaled the fourth one on his own. He was alone on this one due to his required purpose. He was the only one who could maintain the Lacrama and as such… he'd have to be the one to fire it. That is why he carried a strange rifle on his back. It was actually one of the few magical devices he could tolerate. To say that it was a magical device would actually be a lie… It was a medium for magical transfer in truth. The closest thing he could think of would be the mages of his land. They often wielded staffs that they channeled their magical power through. It was those staffs that created the-

He stopped himself.

It was a tool of mechanical device... nothing more, nothing less. The fact that his mind went to that honestly confused him. In his time in Fiore, he had never considered his homeland as much as he had in the past three days. His father's side took pride in the strangeness and novelty of the situation, while his mother's told him to strive and understand it.

He shook his head again and ignored the thought, choosing to finally climb onto the edge of the building and enter the courtyard to the rear of the building. He used his hearing and sense of smell to dictate the closest path to the man he had grown to hate.

His path took him through several areas, each empty. It was a ghost town, and that bothered Seige. He stooped through what looked like a cafeteria to see the decoy team stealing a good portion of their stock. His eyes drooped as he realized that they were still technically doing their job correctly.

"Bunch of meatheads, I swear…" He said before advancing

The speakers fizzled for a few seconds before the Levy's voice echoed through the halls.

"Oh! This looks important!"

There were several pops and the whole structure lurched a few inches down. Music began to play through the speakers that had been hijacked, making Seige chuckle. He had to say, that girl knew her stuff…

With that, he entered the engine room where the low telltale hum of electricity met his ears.

"So they did get some design aspects from Midi…" He mumbled to himself

A hiss rung through the air. It was one he knew perfectly. His eyes widened as far as they could go. Fear dotted his movements as his hands shook. He reacted to the draft that entered the room, darting his head around to see find the being that offended his senses.

"You know, I'm surprised you survived that shot. You looked just about dead to me…"

"Machias." Seige ground out

"Bastard half-breed." The smooth voice called out from the shadows

"How do you know that?"

"You were able to identify me with your measly senses. You think a machine can't do better? I picked apart your weakness before you even knew of my existence."

"You can't identify the other half though… good."

"As much as I would hate to admit it. Yes. It is foreign even to me."

A shot rang out, but Seige dodged the projectile.

"Oh, you saw that coming? You have experience with gun mages."

"Been dodging 'em for 10 years." He said, slipping into his accent slightly

"Ah, a Midian. No wonder you're so familiar with my kind. I doubt even you simplistic bags of meat would forget that slaughter."

The woman revealed herself, a puff of steam jetting out of the back of her armor adding to the already steamy air.

"Gen 1? That'll make wiping you from existence easier." Seige commented, drawing the blade he had retrieved after his internment

"I'm still more than enough to beat a weakling like you."

She casually glowed with a magical aura, the core inside of her collecting magic at an accelerated rate to attempt to keep up with the consumption. She tossed a few blades of wind, not drawing her firearm due to the lack of range. He dodged the cutting winds with a casual sidestep. He knew she was gathering data. He couldn't give away any of his cards too soon, otherwise… this would be his end.

"Ah, already figured out my plan? Smart boy. No wonder you survived as long as you have. I will have to amend that though…" Her voice sung out with a sadistic glee befitting the instability of Gen 1 Machias

Seige meanwhile dodged each strike and carefully conserved his stamina. The Gen 1 had one fatal flaw that held them behind the later generations. The had cooling issues. Seige had no problem with heat, but her? If he got the room hot enough that she couldn't properly cool herself… she would be weak enough to end her. He internally smiled as the room grew even hotter. It was a blessing that he was fighting her in an enclosed space. He took a step back to recover some stamina and to let the machine attempt to cool itself. She took it, now noticing the effects of the room.

"It's 212 degrees in here." She spoke through gasps, "You planned this."

"You still think you are more powerful?" Seige asked smugly

"Yes." The Machias raised her hand, directed to the wall nearby and it exploded revealing the cool light of day

Seige watched in horror as the steam fled the room into the open day. She had seen through his plan again. She was toying with him. He growled towards the machine.

"Ah, a nice toasty 110!" She cheered, making a motion to crack her knuckles that only produced a robotic whine

"Fine, then I'll have to gut you for spare parts the old-fashioned way." He stated, rushing towards the woman in frustration

His blade struck her raised forearm before drawing back and darting to every vital point in the Machias' body. Each strike was stopped with a concise block. For a moment she thought that the man was just expending his stamina in a vain attempt at overwhelming her, but was surprised when a powerful palm strike dented the armor on her chest. She picked up on his intentions and focused on him. She internally frowned as she realized that the man had a bit more to bear than the thought.

"Your strike. Explain." She demanded, removing her chest piece as it began to affect her cooling systems

"Finally stumped? Good." His gleeful smile further annoyed her

She would just have to pay close attention to his abilities. If not, she could lose a critical system.

He rushed again, seemingly using his colossal stamina to his advantage. His strikes did little to nothing to her armor, but his focus on specific points and flaws in her design was starting to wear on her core. She backed off and drew a pistol firing shots into his torso. She quickly devised a plan to defeat him, taking milliseconds to formulate it. She would have to drop her core temperature to do so though. She decided to buy time for that and drew a knife. She focused the heat from her core into the blade, turning it a glowing white.

"Think you can even compete against a blade of this caliber?" She bragged, hoping he'd take the bait

"So you heated your blade up? That's an old trick. Vibration is where the real cutting power is at."

"As if you idiot meat poles could come up with anything even close to that!"

Only 5 degrees to go…

The infernal man charged her. Only a degree to go… and DONE! She drew her hands to the side and waited. He prepared to shove his blade into her neck when her head darted to the side. Her arms surrounded the man and she locked her joints, holding him in a deathly strong bear hug.

His eyes widened in surprise and he struggled out. He couldn't though and locked eyes with the Machias. She smiled as the winds around them picked up. The howl became deafening, even drowning out the questions of the man in her grasp. As the howls died down, the man grew confused at first. He seemed to question why the attack would grow weaker. Her grin spread beyond normal human length as all sound stopped and the man found himself unable to keep the air in his lungs. It spewed out, into the vacuum her magic had created. She watched with glee as the man began to suffocate, draining his magical energy as it tried to sustain his body's energy requirement. She watched her core temperature rise as she lost her ability to transfer the excess heat to the surrounding air as there was no air left.

She watched as the man's movements slowed, but it was earlier than she expected. She felt his magical power take a nosedive. Her eyes refocused in confusion. What could the man be preparing? She looked down at his bound fist, as it glowed with the energy he had built up. She sensed most of the drop in magical energy in that one fist. She watched in horror as faster than her eyes could track, the fist dove straight through her armor and entered her core's housing. The man's hand wrapped around her magical core, slowly squeezing despite the overwhelming heat it produced.

Her artificial pain sensors screamed at her for a few seconds until she released the spell and the man as well. They both fell, stumbling to their feet in an attempt to secure their defenses. She hunched, barely able to stand as her core barely maintained her basic systems with the damage it had taken. This combined with the low power to her cooling systems…

She would have to shut down and begin repair procedures soon.

Seige, on the other hand, was in just as dire straits. He gasped for air as the spots darted his vision. After what felt like hours of lethargy, he spoke.

"You still… hah... think you can beat… hah... me?" Seige says through his gasping

"I'll… kick your ass… any da-" Her core lowered her functions to minimal as she shut down, her equivalent to passing out

Seige sighed in relief as he saw the woman fall. He didn't have the energy to check to ensure she had shut down for good. Neither did he want to.

"I'm done with this for now. Once this Phantom business is over, I am taking one hell of a deserved break. Nearly dying twice in three days is enough for me…" His voice rasped out as he drug his tired body through to the next sets of doors

He still had a job to do.

* * *

Sorry about posting this later today, my Wifi went out and I had to upload this with my phone's mobile data.

I still got it to ya though!

Hope you guys like the tension and a bit more teasing for what Seige's past is.


	9. Through Fire and Flames

"Through Fire and Flames"

Seige gradually made his way up the steps then the upper levels of Jose's throne room. He slung the rifle to his other shoulder as he pulled out the Lacrama. It sat in the palm of his hand, only ever so slightly smaller than before due to the decay that his magically created lacrama created. He focused the lacrama until it grew smaller and smaller, now the size of a small pebble. He could only keep it this small for an hour or so or the decay would tear the small gem apart. He pulled back the bolt on the rifle and inserted the pearl-sized gem into the chamber. He slid the bolt back into position until it locked firmly.

Bisca had told him to take good care of the weapon as it was her favorite so he kept his touches gentle.

He set his spot up and waited for the distraction crew to take care of their targets.

* * *

Natsu entered the cannon's concentration room. It was responsible for the absurd strength of the machine, but Natsu only knew he had to mess some shit up and a huge lacrama… that was the perfect target for him to test himself. He would have loved to test it on Gajeel or Totomaru, but he would make do.

"Now… let's see… what should I use?" He asked himself before considering, "I know!"

"FIRE DRAGON'S I-" His lit fist collided with his face

"I would think you would learn… but apparently not." The suave man in the corner stated in disappointment

"Just the guy I was looking for!" Natsu cheered

"You shouldn't be so happy considering how this went last time…" Totomaru sighed out

"Don't worry. I've got this all figured out. So, you wanna fight?"

"If you want to sprint into your death at record speed… then fine."

Natsu's fist lit up again, this time it had a lighter color to it. It rushed towards his face like Totomaru had expected as he was controlling it. A shockwave echoed throughout the chamber as the fist appeared to collide with Natsu's face for the second time in under a minute. Totomaru sighed out as his shoulders dropped in boredom. This kid was stupid.

"What's got you so down?" A devilish grin appeared unscathed behind the fist, revealing it had stopped a mere inch away from his face

Totomaru's eyes widened in shock. He'd never met someone wrangle control back from him. His eyes hardened, squaring towards the slayer. A frown formed across his smooth features.

"How did you do that?!" His voice grew violent

" 'nuff talking! Let's fight!" Natsu charged forward with a grin, fists alight

Totomaru drew his hand forward as the slayer jumped, trying to use the man's zeal against him. The fist stuttered a moment before Totomaru felt a blinding flash of pain across his cheek. He slid back a few feet, away from the grinning idiot. Totomaru regained his bearings and wiped the dribble of blood that left the left corner of his mouth.

He was pissed.

With a single fluid motion, he drew his katana, a metallic screech accompanying it. He grabbed it firmly with two hands, settling into a stance familiar to him. It was the Ono-ha Itto-ru Style. It was traditional his lineage, so he maintained it and perfected it. There were none that could compete with this blade.

Natsu got into a self-taught stance. One could compare it to mixed martial arts but would come to complete confusion at the positioning of his feet. He stood with his feet seemingly off balance, his body lulled about matching his footwork to maintain his balance. His arms were wide, opened into what looked to be makeshift claws that trailed behind his forward-leaning body. It resembled less the makings of human martial arts, but more like a beast.

Totomaru stood his ground either way as the flame-haired teen rushed him with apparent glee. He brought his sword up and brought it down to meet the slayer's skin right between his eyes. He was surprised when instead of splitting Natsu's skull, his sword produced a shower of sparks and slid to the side. His eyes widened as Natsu's forehead slammed into his nose, breaking it. Totomaru's head whipped back at the force behind the blow. Tears clotted his vision as he brought his head forward to maintain his balance. He got what he wanted in the form of a debilitating gut punch followed by a flame infused knee to the face that sent him flying.

He recovered fast enough to stop the Slayer's pursuit, but only managed to a slight gash on the slayer's right arm. It infuriated him. How had the boy gotten so strong in such a short amount of time? He quickly went through the previous fight and what he was facing now and realized.

"Your fighting style relies on your fire. Without it, you're completely open."

"You got it! Now you aren't hijacking it… I can fight like normal." He said with another infectious grin

"So, while I've been trying to kill you… you weren't even really fighting me, but yourself?"

"Yep! Thanks by the way. I wouldn't have thought about any of this stuff if you hadn't beaten me!" Natsu thanked

"You honestly confuse me." The Element 4 member sighed out

"Then let's get to what we both understand?" Natsu asked with a raised eyebrow

"Fine. You have earned at least that." Totomaru submitted with reluctance

On cue, both clashed in a burst of flames. Totomaru's sword locked with Natsu's forearm. Natsu brought his other arm and swung a fire clad hand at the Phantom Lord mage. The recipient dodged the blow, loosening his grip on his sword and slipping it under the Slayer's guard. He prepared to slam the handle of his weapon into the slayer, but before he could the flame-haired teen twisted his body out of the way with the application of flames. He slammed his elbow into the swordsman's nose, further blinding him. Natsu grabbed the Totomaru's hand and gathered the leverage to throw the mage over his shoulder. With a crash, he sent Totomaru into the stone flooring. Natsu's cheeks bulged.

"Fire Dragon's-"

Totomaru recovered and rolled to the side, losing his sword in the process.

"Roar!"

Totomaru regained his balance and slammed a fist into the slayer's jaw. Using the fact that it stunned the slayer to his advantage, he comboed several powerful strikes along Natsu's chest. He ended his combo with a single palm strike to his chin which sent the teen flying up. Totomaru grabbed his sword, preparing to finish it with one blow.

"Rainbow Fire Ultimate Technique: Seven Slash Finisher!" Totomaru chanted, glowing magical circle appearing between him and his target

He slashed seven times, each holding just in front of the circle. The S-class mage spun on the spot, away from his attack, coat swirling with the sudden action. His sword spun three times in his hand before he returned the blade to its sheath. His sword clinked into its sheath, signaling the seven flame blades to hurtle towards their target at impossible speeds.

The room shook with the massive blast. The loud rumbling blinded his hearing to the low slurping noise that permeated the air. When he turned around, he was shocked to see the blast shrinking. Where was this fire going?

"I forgot. He can eat fire." Totomaru said blankly, not able to come to terms with the significant drain the attack had dug into his reserves

Natsu emerged from the smoke with several cuts and scrapes from the impact of the spell but nothing more. Natsu rocketed down both hands lit ablaze. Too stunned to dodge, Totomaru barely brought up his guard to the slayer. He was surprised when Natsu stopped an inch out of reach for any type of melee combat. His eyes widened when he realized what the Slayer planned to do.

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!"

The explosion went off a foot from his face. His guard ensured he maintained his footing but as the blast wore on him, he felt his magic reserves running dry. His coat burned away and his hair singed. He grit his teeth as he fought the blast. He gathered energy with the last of his reserves and sent it out in one flash, canceling out the rest of the attack.

His vision blurred and he stumbled, world turning sideways as he fell.

His last sight was a grinning Natsu giving him a loose salute with a cheerful grin before he fell unconscious.

* * *

The man known as Arbiter by his colleagues got up from his chair.

After the meeting, he was worn. Mentally at least. His body could no longer decay while under the protection of his lord. It bothered him to no end. He sighed in hopes to relieve some tension brought of this world.

"Arbiter." Alba, one of his closest servants called to him

"Ah, Alba! It is good to see that the meeting didn't take as much of a toll on you as it did me." He fumbled out, surprised by her suddenness

"I can not grow tired." She deadpanned

He smiled genuinely at her naivety.

"What was it you wanted to ask earlier… before the meeting?"

"I would like to venture to the afflicted world. Specifically to join you on your trip." She spoke calmly, but with conviction

He raised his blue brow, curious as to her request.

"You realize that once you see some things, you won't be able to spare yourself. That world changes you. You won't see the palace of your lord the same."

"I understand." She said firmly

He sighed out in confliction. Could he allow her to lose that ignorance? Even if it gave her such great offerings, it was at a cost."

"You are sure." he stated for confirmation

He received a nod.

"Okay then. I'm actually about to do some patrolling in Seven. It's a small peninsula with a moderate trading going on throughout." He said with a weak smile

"I see." She said with stern concentration, making him chuckle

"Don't worry, I can fill you in on the way to any towns. For now, though, let's get going?" He held out his hand which she grasped smoothly

A pale blue glow filled the now empty room. Instead of the traditional magical circle known to most, words spread around him. They floated, shining a brilliant gold. They were foreign to Alba. She had no reason to fear though. The arbiter had served faithfully for thousands of years. She was safe under his protection. Her eyes darted as the mass of letters narrowed to a select few. They lined in place, forming what appeared to be a sentence in this strange language.

This sentence darkened into a deep red as the rest of the golden words faded.

"Sorry it took so long, this spell is incredibly complex. Transporting this distance always takes a chunk out of my reserves."

She didn't speak but watched in awe as the world bled away into a purple abyss. Her vision, hearing, sense of touch and even her voice was taken from her. She felt weightless.

She felt different.

In an overwhelming blur, she gained her senses. Colors flashed across her vision. How could there be so many!? Her eyes darted around, taking a world completely new to her. She finally looked up, hoping to relieve herself of the overstimulation. A light met her eyes and she reflexively shut them. A sensation flared through her skull, mainly centering in her eyes. It was not pleasant, but she had no analog to compare it to. That much she knew.

"Alba, are you alright?"

"Arbiter, what is going on?" She asked hastily, worried

"That, my dear servant is the product of entropy. Change."

"Is that why it felt terrible when I looked up?"

"That was pain." He deadpanned

"Pain… What of the others?"

"Others?"

"The strange sensations, Touch when I am not touching, taste when I am not eating, these… smells."

"In our lord's land, all things stagnate. How does it feel now?"

Her rapid breathing settled as she hunched over, hand over her heart.

"Exhilarating. How could you deal with soo much information?"

"You learn to tune out what you don't care about." The arbiter said, gold light enveloping his hand

A small, mottled brown cloak appeared in his hand. It was raggedy and had several patches, but it was thick and warm against the cold northern air. He tossed it to her and she caught it with a bit of fumbling and slipped it on, knitting her brows in confusion.

"We don't want to stand out if we want to get a good look at everything." He said, noticing her expression

"What about you Arbiter?" She asked

"I can take care of that myself," he said, same gold light encompassing him and fitting him in a loose purple coat

His hair color had changed too. It went from it's deep blue to a solid black.

"You changed your hair?"

"Yes, It is merely a precaution in case I attract unwanted attention."

She stared at him for a moment before a small leaf darted in her vision. It fluttered about, blowing in the wind. She had never experienced the wind before. It felt pleasantly cool over what exposed skin she had left. She smiled at it.

"Alba? There's a town up ahead. We can head there and get some good drinks."

"A-alright!" She chased after him, pulling her hood over her head

* * *

Codex Update!

Larcrama Rifle: Lacrama rifles are rare variants of magical weapons. With complex mechanics, it can hurl a lacrama crystal up to 900 ft/s. While this is normally this is devastating in its own right, the nature of lacrama further increases the damage potential. When a lacrama weapon strikes, if not met by the protection of a strong mage, will shatter on impact. Once shattered, if enough energy is in the crystal it will destabilize returning to its original state. As you may imagine, a lacrama is solidified magic, so when it returns to its natural state, a large amount of magic in the nature of the stored magic is released on site. This causes a explosion proportional to the original size of the lacrama. A lacrama's structure can hold 1 MJ/g, so a 100g slug would be capable of destroying a large building. This factor is inaccurate though when looking at unstable Lacrama. Stable Lacrama can hold energy for well over a century, and as such to remain that stable it has to hold very little of its potential yield. Unstable lacrama vary on how much can be stored before detonation occurs, but it is a general consensus among scholars that the upper echelons of a standard lacrama would be ~12 MJ/g. This is further theorized to increase if a stabilizing factor is introduced such as magical energy that is specifically dedicated to maintaining the crystalline structure of lacrama, then the limits would be the capability of the mage. Though, with an average account for an S-Class' power, it could reach as high as 160 MJ/g through the lacrama would decay shortly after and detonate, killing all but the strongest mages.

Dragon Slayer Fighting Styles: Due to the unique and varied nature of Dragonslayer Magic, it becomes difficult to impossible to teach effective martial arts to them. Due to this fact, natural Dragonslayers (Gen 1 and 3) form their own martial arts. The style often varies heavily between each element and slayer alike. Here is a chronicle of Natural Dragonslayer fighting styles.

Natsu Dragneel: Honō no nagare- This style focuses on fast devastating strikes meant to overwhelm its opponent. This is combined with a loose footing, throwing most experienced martial artists off kilter. This style requires complex footwork and a mastery over Fire Dragonslayer Magic to correct and adjust balance while dodging. Once mastered though, it becomes near impossible to read an opponent as strikes can originate from almost any angle. This style can quickly run through stamina reserves when facing foes that are faster than the practicer.

Gajeel Redfox: Kudaketa tetsu no ken- This style is focused on quick linear strikes and an overwhelming defense. Using the power of Iron Dragon Scales, a user is able to limit the damage of blows and maintain his stamina to sufficient levels in a drawn-out fight. This style is near impossible to overcome without overwhelming force.

A/N:

Hey... about that two-day thing... I forgot yesterday. So yeah?

Sorry about that.

I will say this, I had a blast coming up with the slayer fighting styles. It was a challenge and gave me a legitimate reason to go over both Natsu and Gajeel's fights. I did end up making some modifications that honestly made sense. The trading blows thing isn't in this so well now because that is honestly something that should NEVER occur in a fight between experienced martial artists. So, to be able to have Natsu fight the way he does I had to really look at his fights against tougher opponents. Natsu Vs Zero is a good example. There are several points where he gets tripped in the fight and uses his apparent vulnerability to get off a roar. I kind of extrapolated that idea for him. Natsu is now easy to hit, but hard to nail with any really impactful blow.

Gajeel was much simpler and his style actually made sense in the anime. Have them wear themselves out on you and THEN whup their ass.

Well, that should be it. You guys'll be getting a chapter tomorrow to get me back on track too.

See Ya next time


	10. People of the South Wind

"People of the South Wind"

Erza entered the final room from Jose. Her hair flowed smoothly in the wind. Her instincts flared as she approached the center of the room. Something was bothering her. The air had a stale quality to it. It felt trapped to her. Her proud head lowered, concealing her neck to attack, yet another habit borne of years of experience. The air remained still, yet in a sudden lunge she drew her sword and blocked to left.

An explosion shook the room.

In front of her guard was Aria, Wind mage of the element 4. It was so sudden and without warning that both were shocked at her instinct. With a shower of sparks, she slid her sword out of his grasp. Aria drew back, hands to his face in overwhelming sorrow.

"It is you… a friend of a friend. This fight burdens me. I can not resist the urge to cry from my sorrow!" Tears streamed down his cheeks

"Friend of a Friend? What do you speak of?" Her voice settled as she brought her sword to her side

"Seige. That man is one of many travels… of many stories… some joyous, others painful." Aria's choked out through sobs, something common to him

Erza's eyes hardened.

"How do you know him?" She asked

"His life is his own elegy to recite." Aria said with knitted eyebrows

Erza stored that for later but sighed. Apparently, she wasn't going to be getting any new information from him. She pointed her sword at him, tilting her head down. He responded by getting into his practiced stance, legs straight and one open palm towards the Requip mage with his other facing downwards in front of him.

"It pains me to end a friend of Seige, but it is Jose's will. Know this though, I will always shed tears at your memory Titania."

She raised her eyebrow at that.

"You won't get the chance." She stated, charging him

Loud cracks sounded throughout the room as they clashed, Erza striking while Aria blocked each strike with an area of condensed air. It frustrated her that his defenses were as good as they were, so she released her rush. SHe would have to find a weakness of his first before she could do any real damage.

Her instincts flared again since she met the man.

She ducked, switching to her Flight Armor mid-drop and fled barely out of an explosion of wind. She stopped a few feet away, straining her eyes to find the Element 4. She ducked again with a small shift in the air behind her. She hit nothing but air as the man apparently materialized in front of her. Erza switched her blade to a backhanded grip and used it to block Aria's strike, surprising him. Erza changed armors once again, this time shifting into her Giant's Armor. She hit him with the but of her spear sending him doubled over. She used two hands and with her spear, she hit Aria in the face with the body of her spear sending his head up. She wrapped the spear over his head and use it to headbutt him. The blindfold over his eyes shifted to a red color from his newly broken nose.

Purple light shone from the gap but Aria covered it quickly.

"It seems I underestimated you. How sad. If this is this fight has drawn me this far, I feel it is only to cure my sorrowed conscience that must make a deal with you."

Erza was genuinely surprised by the offer.

"What do you mean?" She asked, suspicion edging in her voice

"If you win this battle, I will answer one of your questions. To think I would do this… It saddens me…"

"I accept your wager. Now, shall we continue?"

"Yes, but I am saddened to admit… I am only at 50% power."

Erza's eyes widened. Seige never mentioned this kind of power from any of the Element 4. She changed to her flight armor as the man tossed his large green hat at her. She dodged the hat as it exploded. She turned her eyes to the man, preparing for a strike, but only found his blindfold dancing in the windswept room. She threw her head side to side in an attempt to find him, but only found the room to be empty. Slowly, as if an illusion, green flooded her view. She could see copies of the man slowly grow slightly opaque. As the ethereal visage of Aria grew more solid, she noticed his fuzzy outline. It was as if he was there but not at the same time.

"Aerospace Awakening: Vacuum Teleportation!" The air died down and all that was left was a slight buzz and the serious, tear-free face of Aria

She was shocked by the display. To think Phantom had such powerful and clever mages...

"Hey, Erza! I beat Tot… what was the rest of his name again?" Natsu spoke up from the entrance of the room

"NATSU! LEAVE AT ONCE!" Erza showed her ire towards the slayer

"What are you on abo-" He was interrupted by an explosion of air that sent him into a wall, breaking several of his ribs in the process

Erza's eyes stared at the sight in shock before her face darkened. Magical power flooded the room as Erza brought out the limits of her power. The air that exited her lungs thundered with a force that shocked the Element 4. Her armor remained but the weapon she wielded was that of fire. From Sorcerer Weekly, Aria could recognize it as the sword that normally accompanies her Flame Empress Armor. Her left gauntlet glowed and grew to be replaced by the gauntlet to the Adamantine Armor.

Aria was puzzled, to say the least.

It looked ugly at minimum and appalling if one were, to be honest. What could she possibly gain from such an action? In such a state, he was untouchable.

She charged at his form, her blade passing through the wind mage doing no damage. But it shocked him. He hadn't had time to react, not in the slightest. Fear grew in his heart, but he abstained from letting it show. He was an S-Class Phantom mage and an Element of the 4. He was the pinnacle of the potential skill in his element.

"How sad… it seems you cannot hit me." He said out of habit

The woman's face hardened as her speed began to increase, white cracks appearing in her Flight Armor. Aria grabbed the woman and ended her pitiful rush by tossing her by her hair into a wall, and while not doing much damage it showed his superiority in movement.

"Hey UGLY!" Natsu's brash voice called to the wind mage, covered in flames, "Nobody gets to beat Erza but me! Get in line!"

Aria's eyebrows knitted as his memories drew back to Gajeel.

"I cannot let you defy the fate intended by our master. It is sad that you think you could change that…" He bragged

"Yeah well, screw fate!" Natsu charged a fist full of flames of a brighter nature

Seemingly in tune with his magic, he launched a spell at the S-Class mage with a charge.

"Fire Dragon's Piercing Fist!"

This time though, surprise flashed across the faces of both of the more experienced mages. Natsu's powerful strike was blocked this time. No, the thing that shocked both mages was the fact that Aria grew solid once again. It shocked Erza until the realization dawned upon her. She stood up and looked at the slayer with genuine respect.

"Natsu, thank you for your help. I can defeat him now."

"But I was just getting started!" Natsu complained

"We need you at full strength for Jose. Leave this to me… Please?" She asked with a calm kindness that surprised the slayer

"Er… Alright… You've got to let me get the first hit on Jose though… Deal?" Natsu sighted out with a grin

"Deal." She smiled out at his positivity

With that, the Slayer casually stood off to the side, sitting down at the edge of the room. He sat, closely watching to two.

"What? I'm never gonna beat you if I never get to see you go all out!" He popped off genuinely

She chuckled at his antics.

"Alright, should we start again Aria, Wind of the Element 4?"

"If you believe your courage can triumph over my sorrow."

"I believe that it will be skill that defines this battle." Erza said charging the man

She slammed into him with her shield, not meeting resistance as she suspected. Aria stood there, ready to prepare a spell as he felt. What surprised him was the small cut to his side that formed along where a small slash of Erza's Flame Empress Blade had cleaved.

Taking advantage of Aria's shock, she hit him with the but of her sword which was covered in flames as well. This put some distance between the two which gave Aria time to recover.

"You hit me." He seemed shocked by the thought

Erza was silent in thought as she focused on one of the litany of things she kept in her Requip space. With a bright light, she emerged with a bottle of oil. She poured it onto her shield and brought her sword to it. It caught flames easily, and with a few rapid swings, she found it's properties to be suitable.

"You are quite a smart man Aria. But every mage no matter how powerful they have flaws. These flaws are what define us… and I have found yours…"

Aria smiled as he realized what she had mere minutes ago.

"How sorrowful… This battle will be decided based on who can adapt to the other's techniques the fastest. It is a fitting confrontation I believe."

Erza dashed forward at the man, slashing at the man. It hit, but he didn't flinch, instead, he grabbed her by the head setting off thousands of tiny Aerospace explosions in the contact between the two. She impaled him with her sword, finally causing enough issue to him to send him stumbling back. She smiled as she charged further bashing him with her shield, stunning the gigantic man. She used this opportunity to deal a second blow with the fiery pommel of her sword to the managed temple before a final blow across his chest with her blade. Aria teleported out of sight, becoming one with the wind but incapable of hurting her as well.

"How sorrowful, you would have made a perfect Phantom Lord mage…" He stated from every direction

Air misted up with a strange density. Erza felt as if the air had grown heavier. It didn't bother her so she continued searching.

"So you hide? How cowardly of the second strongest in Phantom Lord…" She taunted, hoping to get a rise out of him

"No… hiding would entail that I plan to escape. I am sad to end this here."

Suddenly she felt the magical power that the mage had been building moments earlier. It was colossal and focused into a ball of air that seemed a pale color in Aria's hands. Aria's hands grew wider as the ball grew in size nearly instantly. White gas leaked from his fingers and swept across the floor in a spiral.

"My most dreadful spell… one that has the power to pull the breath of life from your very lungs…"

Erza braced herself slowly and sluggish due to the fog. The fires on her shield and sword were long gone, snuffed by a lack of Oxygen. Oddly enough she could breathe in and out just fine, but it just seemed less effective. It was as if there was less air in the air… if that made any sense. She felt her breathing get heavier as she struggled to stand.

She had to do something… but she couldn't figure anything.

It was only then she saw the slayer. Her eyes widened as she saw him slowly stagger over to the wind mage. She figured his body had some resistance to the spell's effects, and she saw his arm catch fire despite the air. She could see the glazing in his eyes. He was almost as far gone as her.

Natsu slammed his fist into the sphere of air to the shock of the mage that missed this action. Erza was blinded and deafened by the ensuing explosion. In the chaos, she called to Natsu dreading what may have become of the teen.

"NATSU!" She called again, ears ringing and barely able to make out portions of the room

Once the blindness died down, she saw the flames that encompassed the room. Smoke clogged her lungs as well as the barely alive Aria. It wasn't the case for the slayer though. He emerged from an entrapment of flames devilish grin on his face, vest torn to shreds. He grabbed a piece of fire that was clinging to a piece of wood and chomped down on it. His pace faltered as he fell forward, out of any sort of magic. Erza caught him, gently lowering his unconscious body as she looked up at Aria.

His breathing was haggard, mirroring her own. He brought his hand up to launch some sort of blast, but his eyes glazed in response. He fell to one knee, gritting his teeth. His form faded slightly, becoming slightly transparent.

"Machias." Aria said breathily

Erza's senses told her that his magic power was turning on him. She could feel the conflictions in it. She could feel the pain behind the words. She could feel his struggle. Suddenly, she understood why the man was so strong. His power was constantly fighting him, testing his will. The very nature of his element was to be uncontained. As such, because of his closeness with the element. He had to fight the current just to remain physical in daily life.

"You are losing yourself in the wind." She stated factually

He smiled as his form grew weaker.

She was right.

"What is Machias and how does it relate to Seige?"

"That is for you to search…" His form disappeared leaving the woman with more questions than she'd have liked

Just what was this 'Machias' and how does it relate to their new resident member?

Erza requiped into her base set of armor to conserve energy, dragging the mumbling slayer by his ankle. She chuckled to herself as his face dug up stray stones. She honestly didn't know how Natsu seemed to come up with his ideas but the new development was much welcomed. After this, she may try teaching him again.

"Yes. That sounds quite appropriate."

* * *

Jose sighed as he sat in his chair. He was undeniably bored. Being a mage of his rank, his senses were some of the greatest known to humankind. He had immediately known what had happened to the power from his cannon. How he had no clue. Had traced the power as it traveled on or in one of the fairies. It stopped in a location not far from his throne and waited. That is what bored him.

They had the power, and obviously the means to deliver it but refrained from doing so. He briefly wondered if Seige could have been behind it, but discarded the idea. With Dragon Iron in his body, there was no possible way he could have survived.

He had to commend the man though. To stop such an attack without any physical damage to his surroundings took incredible skill or massive magical reserves. It bothered him though. As far as he knew, the bounty hunter had no magical potential. Sure, the power was there but there was no attempt to use it. Any mage he had met used magic in some way in day to day life. It was always subconscious. Seige never had any of these indicators. He could sense at least as much energy as Aria had, if not more from the man but it was separated from his will. He had seen it move within his body but it never left. It bothered him, but not enough to distract him from his boredom.

What did, however, were footsteps. It was a pair.

They belonged to The Great Titania and The Salamander. He smiled, face twisting into a sick grin. Boredom left him as if it never existed in the first place.

"Ah! So you've arrived!"

A force struck the Wizard Saint at several times the speed of sound. Jose's neck snapped back, aching pain sinking into his bones. His face burned from the scorching heat of the blast that enveloped it. It instantly vaporized his eyebrows and mustache, taking a portion of the hair on his head. It was then that his rage numbed the pain, allowing him to focus a good 40% of his power into dispelling the field of pure magic that encompassed a good portion of his head.

He panted with sudden exertion, but his reserves were plenty more than what would be required to beat the entirety of Fairy Tail's S-Class. Excluding that monster Gildarts. That man was at least as strong as the Ishgar 4. His face grew with rage when he saw Seige through the smoke of the explosion. He stood in between the legendary mages.

"Jose." He simply stated

"So you managed to survive." Jose began, shrugging off any non-magical damage from the attack with the exception of the scratches, his hair and his damaged clothes, "After that, you are going to seriously regret ever surviving that shot."

"And with a Machias? You have a cruel sense of irony!"

"That bitch was a Machias!?" Jose was shocked at the revelation

"I ripped that bitch from her core. Just like I'm going to do with you." Seige snarled, casting the weapon that had fired the lacrama to the side

"HAH! You beat some two-bit assassin and you think you can beat the 6th Wizard Saint?! That bullet must have taken more out of you than I thought!"

"I don't need magic to kick your ass!" Seige charged in only for his fist to be stopped by a single finger of Jose's

"You'll need a lot more than just power to beat a Wizard Saint."

Jose clasped his hand over Seige's, clenching his fist. A dull snapping noise filled the room followed by a breathy inhale. Seige fell to his knees, cradling his pulp of a hand. Jose deftly dodged left grabbing the arm that dared attack him. It held a sword and was linked to The Great Titania. Jose took the woman's arm, dragging her towards him, and more specifically, his fist. She was nearly knocked unconscious but managed to stay conscious. She was thrown to the immobile Natsu. His feet planted to the ground and his eyes wide with fear, he was paralyzed to the bone from the overwhelming magical power.

"Ah, so this is all you puny fairies have to offer? I honestly would have expected more." He said as he walked by Seige

He gave what looked like a casual kick, one that you'd use when kicking something on the side of the street. Seige was sent flying into a wall, crater forming in the thick stone upon impact.

"It looks like my victory is just about set…" Jose mused

"Let's finish the job." He said with a sick grin


	11. Comfortably Numb

Comfortably Numb

"Let's finish the job."

"Not in a million years… or even beyond that." Makarov's voice echoed throughout the now open roof

The Fairy Tail members' eyes widened in shock. They hadn't even seen the roof's removal let alone Makarov's actions before speaking. It was not as if they could do anything about it though, for their minds locked up at the further increase in magic in their surroundings.

"Ah, Makarov… not quite in the grave yet? Let me fix that for you." A purple aura flared around Jose

"I would love to share banter with you… but you have crossed the line. Every time I have beaten you, I have held back for the sake of your naivety. Those limitations will not apply anymore." Makarov said in a calm whisper that still resonated for hundreds of feet

"Bullshit! You barely won last time and I have grown a good portion stronger! You stand no chance."

"The young never learn. You could have been a model to the youth, yet here you are squandering your power for the sake of personal gain."

"You know if a threat were to arrive that it isn't the weak that will drive it away. It's us!" Jose slung a shadow projectile at Makarov

"No matter, strength isn't just born. It can also be cultivated. Without such measures, you miss on such great potential." the projectile cascaded around a shield of light

"As if, you may make them stronger but with what's coming… you can't make them strong enough…"

Makarov's face darkened as his head lowered. A calm draft spread among the weaker of mages while Jose raised his eyebrow.

"You think I don't know that? If we will never compare to this foe, how could we expect those weaker to do so? I still believe for every 100 duds, I will find power and potential untapped... power that will be useful."

"It is a hopeless belief." Jose dashed towards his fellow Guild Master

"So be it." Makarov stated, body growing to meet Jose's size with the aid of Titan Magic

Seige stood aghast at the fight, watching… no, his eyes were too slow to catch their actual movements. The visuals were just out of his abilities, so he used his other senses. His mind was flooded with so much information that his head throbbed. They moved so fast it streaked across his memory and left holes in his perception of what he was sensing.

"So, this is the true power of a Wizard Saint…"

While he sat in awe, the others looked to be in pain. Sadness was written across their faces. He wondered why. The master had come to save them. Shouldn't they be happy? He frowned. Was he not getting something? He felt a question burning at the tip of his tongue but ignored it. It wasn't the time for questions.

Makarov danced around Jose's attacks, moving like water. Instead of dodging, he worked with the attacks. Jose would punch, Makarov would flow past it and strike with his Titan fists. To call it a fight would be sore and grossly inaccurate. Seige only managed to keep up with the fight in detail once the already weakened Jose slowed further. After a short while, even he at least had to admit that Makarov was toying with Jose. Jose had lost most of his upper halves' clothing in the battle while simultaneously having deep bruises and cuts along every exposed surface. Eventually, Jose submitted to his lack of magic and began to just swing. There was no form for this like his other strikes.

Seige decided that even in this state, he would be capable of killing Jose in a matter of seconds… provided he was in good standing and not wore out as he was.

Makarov caught the Phantom Master's fist with his left hand. Makarov began to levitate with the aid of the wind surrounding him. Jose tried to pull away but found Makarov's grip unbreakable.

"Jose, now. I will forgive your actions if you ask. We could work for the future, and leave this petty rivalry behind us."

Jose's eyes widened in fury.

"You DARE MOCK ME?! Phanom is the strongest guild in Fiore! WE WILL BE THE CHAMPIONS FOR THE TIMES TO COME!"

Makarov's eyes knitted in sorrow.

"If that is how it is… rabid dogs must be put down." Makarov's grip tightened forcing Jose to his knees in pain as well as silencing any response

"Tempest Winds, Golden Halo, Valkyrie's Sword…" Makarov said calmly charging one of his most powerful spells

"Trinity of Destruction!" Makarov boomed, encasing Jose in a ball of wind, which held him for a halo of light to bind him in place

Seige watched every last detail as the holy as a sword materialized and plunged into Jose's heart. He watched as the shocked guild master slowly disintegrated into nothing.

* * *

3 Days Later…

Seige stood tall in front of the newly built Guildhall along with the other mages of Fairy Tail. He smiled at the work they did. While he held little attachment to the guild so far, it was definitely growing. That Erza woman interested him. Her curiosity into him didn't go unnoticed, and that is what piqued his interest. He wasn't sure what her purpose in understanding him was, but it definitely drew his curiosity. Natsu was an interesting boy. It seemed just as Metalicana described for Igneel to choose the teen as his host. He could feel something dwelling in there, and it definitely held a power that surpassed any but the most powerful of mages. His eyes turned to Lucy. To be so skilled with spirits was a rarity, and to have so many Golden Keys was honestly a conundrum. It seemed too coincidental. Oddly enough when he turned his eyes to Gray, he sensed nothing but his natural potential. Every other strong mage he had seen had some spark beneath the obvious, though… he seems to have worked for every inch he has climbed.

He realized his core was shrouded to him. He could see through others, but not himself. He sighed as he noticed all the members of the guild had entered. He needed to speak with Makarov.

"This is gonna be a bitch to explain."

He entered the guild hall to find The Master upstairs according to a short glance around the main floor. He took a few steps forward, dodging a stray mug that went flying from the constant brawl going on in the hall. He tipped his hat down to avoid the drink that spilled from it. It slipped off the nigh waterproof fabric in beads. He took his first step up the stairs when he was stopped by the barmaid.

"You're going to ask the master something?" Her voice told him she already knew the answer

She was too observant for her own good.

"Yes… this whole battle has brought up some… unpleasant memories. I need to consult the master on a few things…" He said absentmindedly

Her thin eyebrows knitted in concern as she empathized with him.

"Of course, I'll leave you to it." She said firmly

Seige watched her lithe form head back to the bar. That was an odd reaction, to say the least. He thought for a moment before coming to a conclusion and heading up the stairs. She probably had some trauma involving her past. It seemed every Fairy Tail mage did.

He stood in front of the plain wooden door that lead to Makarov's office. He took a deep breath and knocked.

"Come in!"

He entered to see a paper littered room, half of which was porn mags. His head dropped a bit and his eyebrow shot up at the sight. Turned out the Wizard Saint was a perv. Who would've figured?

"You wish to talk?" Makarov asked patting a stack of scattered papers covering a magazine he was obviously reading moments ago

Seige took half a breath before stopping. The stench in here was unbearable!

"After this deal with Phantom Lord… I have come to realize that my past isn't as settled as I thought. Because of this, I would like to request that I be able to visit Midi. I feel I have a few skeletons in my closet I need to dust off." He said what he rehearsed in his mind a hundred times

"You know… it's not often that Fairy Tail members confront their past. Each master has only served to guide and support the next generation. You, my boy, are the first in my time as guild master to confront their past." Makarov paused for breath, regretting it instantly

"You still have the potential to run away if I release you…" Makarov said calmly

"I won't. I still ha-" Protesting for the sake of his new loyalty

"So, I will send you with Erza. She will stop you if you try to escape and even aid you should you get too far over your head."

"Thank you." Seige said genuinely as Makarov wrote down his orders on a slip of paper before signing it

"Take this to Erza, she'll know how to get you there best with how often she travel's on missions."

"Thank you again Master Makarov." Seige said with a smile, leaving Makarov to his… 'studies'

* * *

"So, we are traveling to Midi?" Erza stated rather than asked

"Yes?" Seige said nervously at her flat tone

"Alright. We'll leave at 7 A.M. tomorrow. There's a train that should take us there in about 3 days."

"How do you know that?" Seige asked, bewildered by her seemingly vast and random knowledge set

"I get frequent special requests. With how often I've had to take the train, I decided to memorize its weekly routes."

"I guess that makes sense…" Seige said with thought

Erza turned to head back to her apartment in Fairy Hills when Seige stopped her one last time.

"Would you happen to know where my cuffs are?"

Erza frowned, seemingly disappointed in him.

"I only use them for my job as a bounty hunter!" Seige swore, waving his hands in an attempt to stop her from tearing him apart

"They should still be up in the infirmary in the nightstand next to the bed you stayed in." She said before exiting the guild to pack most likely enormous luggage

He nodded before heading up the stairs to the infirmary. He opened the door to see Natsu and to his surprise Gajeel, both in infirmary beds. They both happened to be sleeping much to his joy. He honestly didn't want to deal with the can of worms that was Gajeel at the moment. He took a few quiet steps forward, careful of the Slayers' hearing and retrieved his cuffs. He gave one last look at Gajeel, smiling at the fine young man he'd become.

He left the infirmary thinking of the past.

* * *

A young Seige sat against the cave wall looking at the massive Iron Dragon before him. Despite meeting the beast several hours ago, the feeling of seeing such a grand beast never ceased to amaze him. He honestly felt like he was staring into the sun itself with how grand the dragon was.

"Are you going to continue to stare at me?" The dragon craned his neck over to Seige

"I just can't get over it! A DRAGON!"

"You better. I can sense your energy, and you will work nicely for my plans. You'll be seeing me for the next month and I can't have you freaking out at my presence." The gruff dragon stated, puff of smoke leaving his nostrils

He continued to fanboy over his discovery until a question came to him.

"Who's your son?" He asked before slapping his hand over his mouth

The Dragon would have raised an eyebrow if he had it. He settled on a questioning staredown.

"I decided to take on a human child by the name of Gajeel Redfox."

Seige felt a cold wind pass over him. A human. A dragon took on a human…

"I know that reaction. You have experience with slayers?"

Seige's eyes hardened as he felt conflict build within him.

"Yes." He settled for a short answer

"I can assure you that Dragon Slayers are nothing like their other counterparts. It comes with downsides, but their magic is more stable."

Seige looked reluctantly satisfied. He kept his frown but listened to the Dragon's next words.

"I need your help to prepare for my son's arrival. Without it, there may be issues that I can not foresee."

"... Fine, I'll help."

* * *

A/N:

...

I really have nothing to say. I can't really give any other reason other than I forgot.

On the bright side, I'm going to be making my own cover art for the story so If I remember to, I'll link to my Deviantart when the time comes. But you guys probably know what to expect by now. I can gladly state I'm not exactly a terrible artist, but I can do some cool stuff if I want.

Anyway, I'm gonna leave you guys here.

See Ya Next Time


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